Special offer. Finzi - Earth and Air and Rain
Five song cycles to words by Thomas Hardy
Clifford Benson (piano), sung by Stephen Varcoe, sung by Martyn Hill
The welcome return of what now seem rather special archive recordings of Finzi's great Hardy settings. Direct, unselfconscious and ever-sentient performances.
Special offer. Finzi - Earth and Air and Rain
Five song cycles to words by Thomas Hardy
Clifford Benson (piano), sung by Stephen Varcoe, sung by Martyn Hill
Purchase product
The welcome return of what now seem rather special archive recordings of Finzi's great Hardy settings. Direct, unselfconscious and ever-sentient performances.
About
2 CDs for the price of 1.
‘There are so many really subtle and distinguished performances in this set, and so much sheerly beautiful singing, that I shall be listening to it often over the years’ (Gramophone)
Contents and tracklist
Work length30:29
- Stephen Varcoe (baritone), Clifford Benson (piano)
I. Summer Schemes
Track length2:34
II. When I set out for Lyonnesse
Track length2:07
III. Waiting Both
Track length3:17
IV. The Phantom
Track length3:22
V. So I have fared
Track length2:33
VI. Rollicum-rorum
Track length1:37
VII. To Lizbie Browne
Track length4:25
VIII. The Clock of the Years
Track length4:00
IX. In a Churchyard
Track length3:24
X. Proud Songsters
Track length3:10
Finzi:
Till Earth outwears, Op 19a
Work length16:24
- Martyn Hill (tenor), Clifford Benson (piano)
I. Let me enjoy the earth
Track length2:11
II. In years defaced
Track length3:26
III. The Market-Girl
Track length1:40
IV. I look into my glass
Track length2:09
V. It never looks like summer here
Track length1:11
VI. At a lunar eclipse
Track length3:38
VII. Life Laughs Onward
Track length2:09
Work length12:57
- Stephen Varcoe (baritone), Clifford Benson (piano)
I. I need not go
Track length1:39
II. At Middle-Field Gate in February
Track length3:29
III. Two Lips
Track length0:56
IV. In five-score summers
Track length1:39
V. For Life I had never cared greatly
Track length2:12
VI. I said to Love
Track length3:02
Work length28:50
- Martyn Hill (tenor), Clifford Benson (piano)
Group 1 No 1. A Young Man's Exhortation
Track length3:16
Group 1 No 2. Ditty
Track length2:57
Group 1 No 3. Budmouth Dears
Track length1:37
Group 1 No 4. Her Temple
Track length2:02
Group 1 No 5. The Comet at Yell'ham
Track length3:17
Group 2 No 1. Shortening Days
Track length3:12
Group 2 No 2. The Sigh
Track length3:50
Group 2 No 3. Former Beauties
Track length3:09
Group 2 No 4. Transformations
Track length1:28
Group 2 No 5. The Dance Continued
Track length4:02
Work length31:01
- Stephen Varcoe (baritone), Clifford Benson (piano)
I. Childhood among the Ferns
Track length3:24
II. Before and After Summer
Track length2:34
III. The Self-Unseeing
Track length2:34
IV. Overlooking the River
Track length2:30
V. Channel Firing
Track length6:08
VI. In the Mind's Eye
Track length1:49
VII. The Too Short Time
Track length2:58
VIII. Epeisodia
Track length2:03
IX. Amabel
Track length2:49
X. He Abjures Love
Track length4:12
Awards and reviews
September 2009
The welcome return of what now seem rather special archive recordings of Finzi's great Hardy settings. Direct, unselfconscious and ever-sentient performances.
