For me, it’s never Easter until I listen to Vaughan Williams’ “Five Mystical Songs” with John Shirley-Quirk. Especially the first one, titled – appropriately enough – “Easter.”
Tag: Five Mystical Songs
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Happy Easter Vaughan Williams’ Mystical Songs
Happy Easter!
Look who’s in this week’s Country Life. Some-bunny very special, for his sesquicentenary (Vaughan Williams, born October 12, 1872).
To me, it’s never really Easter, until I listen to John Shirley-Quirk and the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, sing RVW’s “Five Mystical Songs,” which opens with – appropriately enough – “Easter.”
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Easter Music Vaughan Williams and More
Rise heart; thy Lord is risen!
For me, it just isn’t Easter until I’ve heard Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Five Mystical Songs.” I defy anyone not to be uplifted by the opening song of the cycle, titled, appropriately enough, “Easter.” The songs are settings of poems by George Herbert (1593-1633).
This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” we’ll enjoy a classic performance, with bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk, as part of a program devoted to music inspired by the 17th century metaphysical poets.
We’ll also hear William Alwyn’s “Lyra Angelica” of 1954, a harp concerto inspired by Giles Fletcher’s epic poem of 1610, “Christ’s Victorie and Triumph.” The composer regarded it as his most beautiful piece, and I am inclined to agree. The work likely received its widest exposure when Michelle Kwan elected to skate to it during the 1988 Olympics.
Finally, we’ll have a lute song by John Hilton, setting poetry by John Donne, “Wilt thou forgive that sinne.” It’s from an album on the Harmonia Mundi label, titled “The Rags of Time.”
I hope you’ll join me for “Donne Deal” – an hour of metaphysical therapy – this Easter Sunday at 10 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
Vaughan Williams’ “Easter,” from “Five Mystical Songs”:
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Happy Easter Vaughan Williams Easter Music
Happy Easter!
Yay! Somebody finally posted John Shirley-Quirk’s recording of Vaughan Williams’ “Easter” from his “Five Mystical Songs.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP46AtfSuUQ
Here’s a more secular option:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCrDAmi1OJo
Have a great day, everyone.
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John Shirley-Quirk Obituary
Bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk, a recording studio stalwart of music by Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Frederick Delius, among others, died on Monday. He performed most of his repertoire on stage in England, naturally; Americans are very lucky to have so much of it preserved on recordings. Stateside, he has been on the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of Music since 1991.
My favorite Shirley-Quirk recording is his “Five Mystical Songs” of Vaughan Williams, on texts of the metaphysical poet George Herbert, which I try to get on the air every Easter. Here he is in Vaughan Williams’ “Linden Lea.”
Thanks for the beautiful music, John.
PHOTO: Shirley-Quirk (left) with Sir William Walton
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