New Classics

The title of this exciting new album, ‘Sappho, Shropshire and Super-Tramp’, reflects three major threads (though not all) of new English art-song made with the English Poetry and Song Society. Shropshire is represented by several settings from A.E. Housman’s ‘A Shropshire Lad’ which has been among the most popular sets of poems for composers since its publication in 1896. From the ancient world, Sappho’s writings were set by Ivor Gurney, recently discovered, edited and published by Richard Carder. Super-Tramp is the exceptional hobo-turned-gentleman poet W.H. Davies, a Welsh poet and writer who spent a large part of his colourful life as a hobo in England and the United States and became one of the most popular poets of his time. ‘What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare?’ – his most famous poem, Leisure, has been set to music by both Dennis Wickens and Graham Garton, here performed by the impressive baritone Johnny Herford. Soprano Sarah Leonard is the soloist for Ivor Gurney’s opening ‘Seven Sappho Songs’, a tender and beautiful song cycle based on William Bliss Carmen’s poems telling of one of Sappho’s passionate love affairs. Housman is represented by exquisite settings of ‘Bredon Hill’ by Brian Daubney and William Carnell. Altogether there are 12 composers, also including David Crocker, Frank Harvey, Janet Oates, Michael Watts, Robert Hugill, Simon Willink and Sulyen Caradon. Spread over two discs, these 52 songs, some in cycles and some stand-alone items, make this a feast of new and fascinating work for the song lover. Piano accompaniment is by Nigel Foster, who has been described as ‘today’s Gerald Moore’.

—John Pitt