I’m excited about this Cameo featuring musical settings of Shakespeare lyrics in this, the 400th anniversary year of his death.  “There is Sweet Music” is sung by 18 singers (16 plus the pianist, who also happens to be my wife, and how could I refuse to have her sing, since she only plays on about 40% of the repertoire; and this year’s Mark Sheldon Conducting Intern [Ana Spadoni], who is also a very fine singer).  The list of works is below, and I’m coming to love each of the pieces quite a bit.  Below the list of pieces is the dates, times, and venues of the concerts.

Three Shakespeare Songs
• It was a Lover      .   .   .       Thomas Morley (1557-1603), arr. Andrew Griffiths
• Lullaby                   .   .   .     Philip Cannon (b. 1929)
• For Thy Sweet Love  .  .         Robert Young (1984)

Two Shakespeare Songs   .    Robert Baksa (b. 1938)
• Full Fathom Five
• O Mistress Mine

Three Shakespeare Songs   .    Roger Quilter (1877-1953), arr. Linda Spevacek-Avery (1999)
• Under the Greenwood Tree
• Take, O Take Those Lips Away
• Hey, Ho, the Wind and the Rain

Three Shakespeare Songs   .    Charles Wood (1866-1926)
• It was a Lover and his Lass
• How Sweet the Moonlight Sleeps
• Full Fathom Five

Two Shakespeare Songs?
• Come Live with Me       .   .  .    William Sterndale Bennett (1816-1975)
• Sigh No More, Ladies      .   .     Orlando Coole (1619-1961)

Serenade to Music   .   .   .   .   Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

From a Shakespeare contemporary (Morley – this was actually a vocal solo with lute, but has been frequently arranged for choir), through various Romantic era composers, to 20th century masters (the Baksa pieces are the most harmonically adventurous), this concert has a little something for everyone. The feature is the RVW Serenade to Music, a 14 minute piece (the others are all 1-4 minutes each – so, as you can see, a concert on the shorter side) for piano and multiple solos. The final set before the RVW (with the question mark, and the composer with the incredible life dates) is meant to be humorous, but I’ll explain this at the concert. A sort of comic relief in the midst of all this serious and high-minded poetry and music! We had our first rehearsal for this rep last weekend, and I am quite excited about the concert! My wife MB will be the featured pianist on a handful of numbers, including the RVW Serenade to Music, and some charming arrangements of songs by Roger Quilter, among other things; but most of the concert is a cappella.

My favorites so far are the three arrangements of songs by Roger Quilter – what fun, excruciatingly light-hearted (yet ironically appropriate), pieces!  A close second are the two settings by Robert Baksa.  And the Vaughan Williams is simply gorgeous.

  • Friday, Nov. 11, 7:30pm – Holy Cross Lutheran, 4500 Wadsworth Blvd., Wheat Ridge
  • Saturday, Nov. 12, 7:30pm – St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, 6190 E. Quincy Blvd., Cherry Hills Village
  • Sunday, Nov. 13, 3:00pm, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 2015 Glenarm Pl., Denver

 

This will be the weekend after the election, so you will certainly be in need of some serious diversion! All of the venues are small (well, except for the Friday concert), so advance tickets (especially for Saturday and even more for Sunday, which will almost certainly sell out) are advisable, and now is not too early to get them. They are available from (303) 298-1970, and on our concerts page.