A Mayfest of Song

Mark Oldfield, Baritone
Jane Streeton, Soprano
with Tarek Al-Shubbak, Pianoforte 

Thomas Arne 1710-1788

Where the bee sucks, Tempest
Blow, blow thou winter wind, As you like it 

Gerald Finzi 1901-1956

Let us garlands bring

1. Come away, come away death, Twelfth Night
2. Who is Silvia, Two Gentlemen of Verona
3. Fear no more the heat o’ the sun, Cymbeline
4. Oh mistress mine, Twelfth Night
5. It was a lover and his lass, As you like it 

Franz Schubert 1797-1828

Who is Silvia, Two gentelemen of Verona
Hark, hark the lark, Cymbeline
Der Konig in Thule, Opus 5-5 Poem by Wolfgang Goethe

Thclose to death.e King of Thule threw the gold cup, given to him by his beloved deceased wife, into the sea as a sign that he was

Ganymed, Opus 19-3 Poem by Wolfgang Goethe

The shepherd boy revels at the beauty of a spring morning. Zeus flies down and takes the willing Ganymed up to the heavens to become the cupbearer for the Gods

“The course of true love never did run smooth’’ Midsummer night’s dream

Gretchen am Spinnrade, Opus 2 Poem by Wolfgang Goethe

Since she has met Faust, obsession has overtaken Gretchen. She now desires to perish from his kisses.

“O what men dare do! What men may do!’’ Much ado about nothing 

Maurice Ravel 1875-1937

Don Quichotte a Dulcinee Poem by Paul Morand

1. Chanson a Romanesque

Your command I will gladly stop the earth spinning, I will sweep the night sky of its stars and I will use my lance to replace them all to please you. If you reject me I shall die, blessing you.

2. Chanson Epique

Pray to you Saint Michael and Saint George and ask you to bless my sword and my Lady Madonna of the blue mantle.

3. Chanson a boire

Drink only to joy and damn anyone who is jealous and weeps about a loveless life. 

Interval

Richard Strauss 1864-1949

Ophelia; Songs after Shakespeare (Hamlet), Opus 67

1. Wie erkennen ich mein Traulieb

Should I your true love know from another one?

2. Guten Morgen, ‘s ist Sankt Valentinstag

Should I your true love know from another one?

3. Sie trugen ihn auf der Bahre bloss

Bore him barefaced on the brier

“Such stuff as dreams are made of” The Tempest 

Charles Villiers Stanford 1852-1924

Belle dame sans merci Poem by John Keats 

Gustav Mahler 1860-1911

Rheinlegendchen (aus des Knaben Wunderhorn)

“Will throw my ring into the Rhine, and a fish will eat it. The king will eat the fish and ask whose ring this is. My lover will declare it is his and rush back to me” Muc ado about nothing 

Robert Schumann 1810-1856

Waldesgesprach (aus Liederkreis, Opus 39 Poem by Joesff von Eichendorff

“It is cold and late, why do you ride alone in the wood lovely bride?” “Great is men’s deceit and it has broken my heart...listen to the hunting horn and flee.” “You are so beautiful upon your horse... oh, you are the witch Lorelei!” “Now you know me you shall never more leave this wood.” 

George Gerschwin 1898-1937

Lorelei Poem by Ira Gerschwin

Cole Porter 1891-1964

Songs from Kiss me Kate (after Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew)