THOMAS MOTTERSHEAD TENOR | CONDUCTOR | PIANIST

Accompanied by William Saunders

St. Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds Friday 20th August 2021, 1:10pm

PROGRAMME

From L'honestà negli amori Alessandro Scarlatti Già il sole dal Gange (1660-1725) From Eugene Onegin Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Lensky’s Aria (1840-1893) A Chloris Reynaldo Hahn

(1874-1947) Songs for Ariel Sir Michael Tippett

I. Come Unto These Yellow Sands (1905-1998) II. Full Fathom Five III. Where the Bee Sucks

Après un Rêve, Op.7, No.1 Gabriel Fauré

(1845-1924) Die Forelle Franz Schubert

(1797-1828) Oh! quand je dors, S.282/2 Franz Liszt

(1811-1886) From Sunday in the Park with George Stephen Sondheim Finishing the Hat (1930-Present) Content To Be Behind Me Ben Moore

(1960-Present)

PROGRAMME NOTES AND TRANSLATIONS Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) is considered the founder of the Neapolitan school of opera. He has composed mainly for the stage, but has also composed lots of choral music, having been maestro di cappella at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Già il sole dal Gange, from the ‘dramma per musica’ L'honestà negli amori, is one of Scarlatti’s best known arias and has achieved popularity from recordings by many famous tenors, including Luciano Pavarotti. Già il sole dal gange piu chiaro sfavilla e terge ogni stilla del alba che piange. Col raggio dorato in gemma ogni stello e gli astri del cielo di pinge nel prato.

Over the Ganges the sun is already sparkling more brightly and dries every drop of the dawn, which weeps. With gilded ray It adorns each blade of grass; and the stars of the sky is painting in the field. Translation from ariastranslation.blogspot.co.uk

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic Period. A composer of piano, orchestral and choral music, he also wrote 11 operas – one of which was Eugene Onegin, composed in 1877-78. It is a well-known example of a lyric opera, with one of the most famous arias in the piece being Lensky’s Aria. This comes towards the end of Act II, after Lensky made Onegin go to a ball in honour of Tatyana. Onegin dances with Olga, Lensky’s fiancée, making him jealous. He abandons their friendship and challenges Onegin to a duel, which the latter is forced to with much trepidation. In the aria, Lensky is reflecting on his life, his fear of death and his love for Olga. Куда, куда, куда вы удалились, весны моей златые дни? Что день грядущий мне готовит? Его мой взор напрасно ловит: в глубокой тьме таится он! Нет нужды; прав судьбы закон! Паду ли я, стрелой пронзённый, иль мимо пролетит она, - всё благо; бдения и сна приходит час определённый! Благословен и день забот, благословен и тьмы приход! Блеснёт за утра луч денницы, и заиграет яркий день, а я, быть может, я гробницы

Where have you gone, o golden days of my spring? What does the day coming have in store for me? It escapes my eyes, it is hidden! Shall I fall to the deadly arrow, or will it pass by? All for better, there is a pre-determined time For life and for sleep! Blessed is a day of simple tasks, And blessed is the day of troubles. Will the day beam shine in the morning, And the bright day shall reign, And I, well, will I, perhaps, will descend

сойду в таинственную сень! И память юного поэта поглотит медленная Лета. Забудет мир меня; но ты, ты, Ольга... Скажи, придёшь ли, дева красоты, слезу пролить над ранней урной и думать: он меня любил! Он мне единой посвятил рассвет печальный жизни бурной! Ах, Ольга, я тебя любил! Тебе единой посвятил рассвет печальный жизни бурной! Ах, Ольга, я тебя любил! Сердечный друг, желанный друг, приди, приди! Желанный друг, приди, я твой супрг, приди, я твой супруг! Приди, приди! Я жду тебя, желанный друг, приди, приди, я твой супруг! Куда, куда, куда вы удалились, весны моей златые дни?

Into mysterious darkness of my fatal tomb? And the memory of a strange poet will fall into Abyss. The world shall forget me; but you, you, Olga… Tell me, will you, the maiden of beauty, come to shed a tear over the early urn And think "he loved me, he devoted to me the gloomy dawn of a troubled life!" Ah Olga, I did love you, To you alone I devoted The gloomy dawn of my troubled life Yes Olga, I did love you! My wonderful friend, my dear friend, Come, come! Come, for I am your husband, come, for I am your husband! Come, come! I’m waiting for you, welcome friend, Come, come, for I am your husband. Where have you gone, o golden days of my spring? Translation from aria-database.com

A Chloris, composed in 1913 by Venezuelan-born French composer Reynaldo Hahn, is an elegant setting of Théophile de Viau’s sixteenth century verse. In this work, Hahn gives the piano its own melody ornamented with Baroque turns as shown below. Carol Kimball and Richard Walters (2001) comment that the ‘vocal phrases are a mixture of short fragments, which capture the natural speech cadences of the breathless lover, and longer lyric lines’. The protagonist is asking his love if it is true that she loves him and how happy he is that she loves him as much he loves her – commenting that ‘je ne crois point que les rois mêmes aient un bonheur pareil au mien’, “I do not believe that even kings can match the happiness I know.” S'il est vrai, Chloris, que tu m'aimes, Mais j'entends, que tu m'aimes bien, Je ne crois point que les rois mêmes Aient un bonheur pareil au mien. Que la mort serait importune De venir changer ma fortune A la félicité des cieux!

If it be true, Chloris, that you love me, (And I'm told you love me dearly), I do not believe that even kings Can match the happiness I know. Even death would be powerless To alter my fortune With the promise of heavenly bliss!

Tout ce qu'on dit de l'ambroisie Ne touche point ma fantaisie Au prix des grâces de tes yeux.

All that they say of ambrosia Does not stir my imagination Like the favour of your eyes! Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)

Songs for Ariel was composed by Michael Tippett (1905-1998) in 1962 for the Old Vic production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The original orchestration was piccolo, flute, clarinet, horn, timpani, harp, bells and harpsichord. It is in three movements, two of which come from Act I, Scene 2, whilst the other is in Act V. While not for a specific voice, it was first performed separately by countertenor and harpsichord in the year following the production. The songs fall into three themes - ‘Come unto these yellow sands’ being a song of allure, ‘Full fathom five’ a song of death and ‘Where the bee sucks’ a song of freedom. Après un rêve, Op. 7/1, by Gabirel Fauré (1845-1924), was composed in 1877 and is one of the composer's best-known works for voice. The text uses a setting of an anonymous poem translated by Romain Bussine. The text is in the style of a narration, telling of a dream in which the narrator meets their lover in an almost otherworldly meeting, followed by a longing to return to this dream state after waking. Realising it is not real, the piece ends with the despairing exclamation “Return, return, radiant, mysterious night!" Dans un sommeil que charmait ton image Je rêvais le bonheur, ardent mirage, Tes yeux étaient plus doux, ta voix pure et sonore, Tu rayonnais comme un ciel éclairé par l'aurore; Tu m'appelais et je quittais la terre Pour m'enfuir avec toi vers la lumière, Les cieux pour nous entr'ouvraient leurs nues, Splendeurs inconnues, lueurs divines entrevues, Hélas! Hélas! triste réveil des songes Je t'appelle, ô nuit, rends moi tes mensonges, Reviens, reviens radieuse, Reviens ô nuit mystérieuse!

In a slumber which held your image spellbound I dreamt of happiness, passionate mirage, Your eyes were softer, your voice pure and sonorous, You shone like a sky lit up by the dawn; You called me and I left the earth To run away with you towards the light, The skies opened their clouds for us, Unknown splendours, divine flashes glimpsed, Alas! Alas! sad awakening from dreams I call you, O night, give me back your lies, Return, return radiant, Return, O mysterious night. Translation from lieder.net

Die Forelle (“The Trout”) is perhaps one of Austrian composer Franz Schubert’s most famous lied. It was composed in early 1817 for solo voice and piano. The text comes from the Schwäbischer Musenalmanach, which was published in 1783, the poem being set by Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart. The full poem tells the story of a trout being caught by a fisherman but in its final stanza reveals its purpose as a moral piece, warning young women to guard against young men. When Schubert set the poem to music, he removed the last verse, which contained the moral, changing the song's focus and enabling it to be sung by male or female singers. In einem Bächlein helle, Da schoß in froher Eil' Die launische Forelle Vorüber wie ein Pfeil. Ich stand an dem Gestade Und sah in süßer Ruh Des muntern Fischleins Bade Im klaren Bächlein zu. Ein Fischer mit der Rute Wohl an dem Ufer stand, Und sah's mit kaltem Blute, Wie sich das Fischlein wand. So lang dem Wasser Helle, So dacht ich, nicht gebricht, So fängt er die Forelle Mit seiner Angel nicht. Doch endlich ward dem Diebe Die Zeit zu lang. Er macht Das Bächlein tückisch trübe, Und eh ich es gedacht, So zuckte seine Rute, Das Fischlein zappelt dran, Und ich mit regem Blute Sah die Betrogene an.

In a limpid brook the capricious trout in joyous haste darted by like an arrow. I stood on the bank in blissful peace, watching the lively fish swim in the clear brook. An angler with his rod stood on the bank cold-bloodedly watching the fish’s contortions. As long as the water is clear, I thought, he won’t catch the trout with his rod. But at length the thief grew impatient. Cunningly he made the brook cloudy, and in an instant his rod quivered, and the fish struggled on it. And I, my blood boiling, looked on at the cheated creature. English Translation © Richard Wigmore

Franz Liszt’s (1811-1886) Oh! quand je dors (“Oh! when I sleep”) follows the Fauré – it is also a very romantic piece, but much more personal. This amorous poem is from Victor Hugo’s volume of poetry Les rayons et les ombres, which was published in 1840. The text begins with the subject asking his lover to sleep with them to feel their breath. The piece is filled with passion, and the piano part is extensively virtuosic. Listz himself was a virtuosic pianist and so he believed that the piano part was as important as the vocal line. Oh! quand je dors, viens auprès de ma couche, comme à Pétrarque apparaissait Laura,

Oh, when I sleep, approach my bed, as Laura appeared to Petrarch;

Et qu'en passant ton haleine me touche... Soudain ma bouche S'entrouvrira! Sur mon front morne où peut-être s'achève Un songe noir qui trop longtemps dura, Que ton regard comme un astre se lève... Soudain mon rêve Rayonnera! Puis sur ma lèvre où voltige une flamme, Éclair d'amour que Dieu même épura, Pose un baiser, et d'ange deviens femme... Soudain mon âme S'éveillera! Oh viens! comme à Pétrarque apparaissait Laura!

and as you pass, touch me with your breath... at once my lips will part! On my glum face, where perhaps a dark dream has rested for too long a time, let your gaze lift it like a star... at once my dream will be radiant! Then on my lips, where there flits a brilliance, a flash of love that God has kept pure, place a kiss, and transform from angel into woman... at once my soul will awaken! Oh come! as Laura appeared to Petrarch! Translation from lieder.net

Finishing the Hat comes in Act 1 of Sunday in the Park with George, a musical by Stephen Sondheim. It was inspired by the French pointillist painter Georges Seurat’s painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The plot revolves around George, a fictionalized version of Seurat, who immerses himself deeply in painting his masterpiece, and his great-grandson (also named George), a conflicted and cynical contemporary artist. after George chooses to continue to work on his painting rather than go on a pre-planned date with Dot, Georges' mistress and model, greatly upsetting her. As the park empties for the evening, George returns. He misses Dot and laments that his art has alienated him from those important to him – but resigns himself to the likelihood that creative fulfilment may always take precedence for him over personal happiness. Content To Be Behind Me is a comedy song by Ben Moore composed in 2007 in honour of the collaboration of Deborah Voigt (soprano) and Brian Zeger (piano). The piece was premiered at Carnegie Hall, New York, in the spring of 2007 in a vocal recital.

THOMAS MOTTERSHEAD is an award-winning conductor and tenor, as well as a pianist based in South Wales. Originally from Colchester, Thomas has achieved a MMus (Distinction – Choral Conducting) from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD), as well as a First-Class BMus (Hons) from Cardiff University in Music. At RWCMD, he won the choral conducting award twice during his time there, studying under Andrea Brown and Greg Hallam. He has also worked with many fantastic conductors, including Simon Halsey CBE, Patrick Russill, Neil Ferris and Camilo Santostefano. Prior to this, At Cardiff University, he also achieved the Sir Geraint Evans Award for his final recital. During the

Coronavirus Pandemic, Thomas completed a PGCE in Secondary Music at the University of Cambridge and has also previously studied abroad at the University of New Hampshire. As a conductor, Thomas has much experience with both orchestras and choirs – sacred and secular – and has been conducting since the age of 15 whilst a student at Ipswich School, tutored by teachers including Andrew Leach and William Saunders. Having recently moved back to Wales, Thomas was immediately appointed Musical Director of Billboard Ensemble Juniors, a Youth Musical Theatre group in Barry. Previous positions include Director of Music in St. Mary’s Church, Whitchurch; Conductor of the Welsh Hospital's Choir (South Glamorgan); Chorus Manager and Assistant Chorus Master of Cardiff University Symphony Chorus; Musical Director of Blank Verse; Assistant Musical Director of Cardiff University Operatic Society; and Orchestral Manager of Serenata Singers. Thomas was also a deputy conductor at St. Edmundsbury Cathedral during the 2020/21 academic year and has conducted in venues such as Southwark Cathedral, the Dora Stoutzker Hall, Snape Maltings and more. Thomas is the co-founder and Musical Director of Cardiff Opera. Founded in 2018, he was the répétiteur for their first opera, Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto and is conducting three performances of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in August and September in Cardiff, Bristol and Oxford later this month. Tickets are available on www.ticketsource.co.uk/Cardiff-Opera. Thomas has been a singer in two cathedral choirs – Llandaff Cathedral and St. Edmundsbury Cathedral - and has performed for live broadcasts including Morning Worship on BBC Radio 4 and the National Remembrance Service on BBC One Wales. Whilst a student in Cardiff, he also held a bursary with the BBC National Chorus of Wales, directed by Adrian Partington, performing at the BBC Proms on several occasions, appearing on BBC TV and Radio 3. He has performed at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, St David's Hall, Brangwyn Hall, Snape Maltings Concert Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral and King’s College Cambridge, as well as venues in Germany, Italy and America. He recently went on tour with the BBC National Chorus of Wales to Brittany, performing at the opening of the Couvent des Jacobins. In June 2018, Thomas was asked to be in a solo quartet with the BBC’s performance of James MacMillan’s ‘Seven Angels’. Most recently, and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, as a soloist, he was tenor soloist in Stainer’s Crucifixion for the RSCM SE Wales and Mozart Mass in C major ("Coronation").

On the stage, he has performed the roles of Khashoggi in ‘We Will Rock You!’ and Anthony in Sondheim’s ‘Sweeney Todd’, for which he won 'Best Male Performance in a Musical' from the Glamorgan Drama League. He has also performed in several operas, including ‘Patience’ by Gilbert and Sullivan in 2016, Copland's 'The Tender Land' at UNH in 2017, and in opera scenes as Bardolph in Verdi’s ‘Falstaff’. Future engagements include singing as a soloist in Lennox Berkeley’s Stabat Mater in November. For more information, please visit Thomas’ website, www.thomasmottershead.com.

William Saunders is one of Britain’s leading young concert organists, with an extensive schedule that includes many distinguished venues across Europe. He tours Germany annually and has performed recitals in including Hamburg and Cologne Cathedrals and the St Marien Church in Lübeck. His musical activities in the United Kingdom have included performances at the Cambridge Summer Music and Oundle International Festivals, and he has also accompanied the Kings Voices, the mixed-voice chapel choir of King’s College, Cambridge and Aldeburgh Voices, a choir established by Benjamin Britten.

William’s organ repertoire is varied, but he particularly enjoys performing Romantic and modern English music, which has led to the production of a number of critically acclaimed CDs in recent years. The Gramophone commends his technique for its “rhythmic vitality” and his “athletically inclined” playing. William’s passion for inspiring youngsters and providing an unparalleled music education led to him holding the post of Director of Music at The Royal Hospital School in Suffolk between 2012-2019. He was responsible for a dynamic music department that undertook in excess of 80 concerts and services per year. These ranged from informal lunchtime concerts to those which attracted audiences of 800+ paying members of the public. Recent highlights have been working with the BBC Big Band, the Swingle Singers, National Youth Choir of Great Britain and forming partnerships with HM Royal Marines Training Band and Royal College of Organists. In addition, William has directed a number of highly successful ensembles including the Holbrook Choral Society; highlights included conducting The Dream of Geronitus by Elgar with 250 singers. He directed the Chapel Choir at The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at The Royal Albert Hall in the presence of the royal family, which was broadcast live on BBC radio and television. He established the Sing Up Suffolk event which involved 800 primary school children annually to the school with the primary aim of making singing fun and accessible. Between 2020-2021 he had oversight of the music department of St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Other conducting activities include his directorship of the Prometheus Consort, a choir that regularly leads the worship at St Paul’s Cathedral when the resident choir are on holiday, and the Buriensi Consort, a professional vocal group.