Songs to the Moon (Works by Brahms, Faure, Saint-Saens, Schumann) The Myrthen Ensemble

• Peter Warlock (1894 - 1930): 3 Belloc Songs:
• 1 No. 2. The Night 02:11
• Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897): 6 Quartets, Op. 112:
• 2 No. 2. Nachtens 01:45
• 4 Duets, Op. 28:
• 3 No. 2. Vor der Tur 01:58
• 8 Lieder und Gesange, Op. 57:
• 4 No. 8. Unbewegte laue Luft 04:07
• 3 Quartets, Op. 31:
• 5 No. 3. Der Gang zum Liebchen 03:14
• 4 Balladen und Romanzen, Op. 75:
• 6 No. 4. Walpurgisnacht 01:32
• 5 Lieder, Op. 106:
• 7 No. 1. Standchen 01:43
• 3 Quartets, Op. 64:
• 8 No. 2. Der Abend 03:51
• 5 Romanzen und Lieder, Op. 84:
• 9 No. 4. Vergebliches Ständchen 01:43
• Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856):4 Duette, Op. 34:
• 10 No. 3. Unterm Fenster 01:26
• Liederkreis, Op. 39:
• 11 No. 5. Mondnacht 04:07
• Myrthen, Op. 25 (text by T. Moore):
• 12 No. 17. 2 Venetianische Lieder No. 1, "Leis' rudern hier" 01:58
• 13 No. 18. 2 Venetianische Lieder No. 2, "Wenn durch die Piazetta" 01:16
• No. 7. Die Lotosblume
• 14 No. 7. Die Lotosblume 01:49
• Spanisches Liederspiel, Op. 74:
• 15 No. 4. In der Nacht 05:20
• Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981): 4 Songs, Op. 13:
• 16 No. 4. Nocturne 03:32
• Elizabeth Maconchy (1907 - 1994): Sun, Moon and Stars:
• 17 Sun, Moon and Stars 03:51
• Josef Zygmunt Szulc (1875 - 1956): 10 Mélodies, Op. 83:
• 18 Clair de lune, Op. 83, No. 1 03:25
• Federico Mompou (1893 - 1987): Combat del Somni (Dream Battle):
• 19 No. 1. Damunt de tu nomes les flors (Above you Only Flowers) 04:22
• Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921): Guitares et mandolines:
• 20 Guitares et mandolines 01:49
• Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918): Apparition:
• 21 Apparition 03:48
• Ernest Chausson (1855 - 1899): 2 Duos, Op. 11:
• 22 No. 1. La nuit 02:47
• Reynaldo Hahn (1874 - 1947): L'Heure exquise:
• 23 L'Heure exquise 02:51
• Henri Duparc (1848 - 1933): La fuite:
• 24 La fuite 03:15
• Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912): Rêvons, c'est l'heure:
• 25 Revons c'est l'heure 05:04
• Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924): 2 Songs, Op. 46:
• 26 Clair de lune, Op. 46, No. 2 02:56
• Gabriel Fauré: Pleurs d'or, Op. 72:
• 27 Pleurs d'or, Op. 72 02:47
• Gabriel Fauré: Tarentelle, Op. 10, No. 2:
• 28 Tarentelle, Op. 10, No. 2 02:17
• Total Runtime 01:20:44

Info for Songs to the Moon (Works by Brahms, Faure, Saint-Saens, Schumann)

Described by The Telegraph as “the creme de la creme of young British-based musical talent”, and praised in BBC Music Magazine for their “irresistible combination of arresting programing and vocal flair assembled around pianist Joseph Middleton”, the newly formed Myrthen Ensemble brings together rising stars in the world of art-song and Lieder. This disc features performances by Mary Bevan, Clara Mouriz, Allan Clayton, Marcus Farnsworth and Joseph Middleton.

Joseph Middleton writes to introduce the recording: “The moon has, since antiquity, inspired artists, musicians and wordsmiths. The programme on this disc looks to its many characteristics for inspiration. The songs are at turns consoling, sometimes seductive in serenades and occasionally paint the moon as a threatening force through its extinguishing of the suns rays. The moon’s silver beams cast their magic in music by Brahms and Schumann in the first of these CDs and in the second, inspire the exquisite treatment of Clair de lune by a selection of the finest French song composers. Short English nocturnal overtures begin each disc.”

4* - "This is a lovely disc, one of those in which the different items seem to set each other off." (Planet Hugill)

"A particular attraction is the inclusion of less well-known duets and quartets, which add to the convival atmosphere." (Financial Times)

"An absolute and total gem." (Classical Nowhere)

"There is much to relish...and for those, like me, who love art-song as much as the Myrthen Ensemble do, you know even better is to come." (Music Web International)

"The four voices blend beautifully in quartets." (Gramophone)

Myrthen Ensemble:
Mary Bevan, soprano
Clara Mouritz, mezzo-soprano
Allan Clayton, tenor
Marcus Farnsworth, baritone
Joseph Middleton, piano

The Myrthen Ensemble
Described by The Telegraph as 'the crème de la crème of young British-based musical talent', and praised in BBC Music Magazine for their ‘irresistible combination of arresting programing and vocal flair assembled around pianist Joseph Middleton’, the newly formed Myrthen Ensemble brings together rising stars in the world of art-song and Lieder. The founder members were Mary Bevan, Clara Mouriz, Allan Clayton, Marcus Farnsworth and Joseph Middleton and they very much enjoy working alongside other outstanding young guest singers.

The group takes its name from the composition Robert Schumann wrote as a wedding present for his wife Clara in 1840. Myrtles have for centuries been seen as the German symbol of marriage and their modest form seems an apt image for the relationship between words and music, singer and pianist, imagination and sound and performer and audience. The vignette the group use to display their name has been designed using the ‘ornamental binding’ which Schumann’s original score carried. Delving into the treasure chest that makes up the canon of the song repertoire, The Myrthen Ensemble explores all areas of art-song through illuminating and thoughtful programming.

In their first seasons together the Myrthen Ensemble enjoyed performances at Snape Maltings as part of an Aldeburgh Festival residency, broadcast for BBC Radio 3, and gave a triumphant launch concert in London: "For sheer joy – for youthful panache and heartfelt commitment – nothing I have experienced musically this year comes near to matching this lovely soirée... there was no mistaking its exceptional musicality – every phrase was coloured and shaped, everything emotionally felt" (Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph). They have gone on to perform at the Wigmore Hall, as well as for BBC Radio 3 from the Bath MozartFest, Leeds Lieder, Newbury Spring, Norwich and Norfolk, Wimbledon, Northern Aldborough and St Magnus Festivals. Future seasons see them appear at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The individual members can be heard in the world’s finest opera houses, musical centres and on numerous award-winning recordings. Their début CD, Songs to the Moon, was released in 2016 on the Signum label.

Booklet for Songs to the Moon (Works by Brahms, Faure, Saint-Saens, Schumann)