Brian: The Soul of Steel, Legend / Cook, Vignoles, Levine

• Sound Clips
• Album Summary
• Notes & Reviews
• Also Purchased
• Works Details

	When Icicles Hang by the Wall - When Icicles Hang by the Wall
	Take, O Take Those Lips Away - Take, O Take Those Lips Away
	3 Songs, Op. 6 - Sorrow Song
	3 Songs, Op. 6 - The Message
	3 Songs, Op. 6 - Farewell
	Care-Charmer Sleep - Care-Charmer Sleep
	Since love is dead - Since Love is Dead
	The Soul of Steel - The Soul of Steel
	Why Dost Thou Wound, and Break My Heart? - Why Dost Thou Wound, and Break My Heart?
	5 Songs - On Parting
	5 Songs - Lady Ellayne
	5 Songs - Renunciation
	5 Songs - Love is a Merry Game
	Piping down the valleys wild - Piping Down the Valleys Wild
	The Chimney Sweeper - The Chimney Sweeper
	The Land of Dreams - The Land of Dreams
	The Defiled Sanctuary - The Defiled Sanctuary
	Legend - Legend

Album Summary

Performers

• Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Peter Lawson (Piano)
• Stephen Levine (Violin)

Composer

• Havergal Brian (1876 - 1972)

Notes & Reviews:

"Havergal Brian (1876-1972) was a prolific writer of symphonies, but his songs also warrant attention, and this recording offers a chance to explore another side of this interesting composer. Between 1890 and 1926, it is estimated that he wrote about 65 songs, choosing poems of Shakespeare, Donne, Herrick, and other 17th Century writers as well as William Blake and his lesser-known contemporaries. Most of his songs deal with somber subjects of grief, separation, the dying of love, and, as he noted in a letter to Granville Bantock in 1919, his "three great themes-love, hate, and death". Brian Rayner Cook, who studied this music with the composer and has been a long-time champion of Brian's songs, is the first to record some of them. These 17 songs were recorded in Wigmore Hall in 1982. Cook's singing is always sensitive to the text and probes the sadness and cynicism of these songs. His voice has just the right timbre and is consistently even at any pitch or dynamic level. Vignoles effectively handles these sometimes unorthodox compositions, as in 'When Icicles Hang By the Wall' with its toccata- like writing or 'Take, O Take Thy Lips Away' where the ardent vocal line is mocked by the more lighthearted and independent piano accompaniment. Also included is Legend, a six-minute work for violin and piano written in 1919, one of only four chamber pieces Brian wrote-and the other three have disappeared. Even this piece, lost in Brian's study, was not discovered and published until after his death. It is performed here elegantly and passionately by Levine and Lawson. Brian's music, especially the music on this recording, is not heard very often, so this is a good way to experience aspects of this composer who occupies a distinct and original place in England's musical life. Useful notes and complete texts." -ARG

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Also Purchased

Works Details

Brian, Havergal : When Icicles Hang by the Wall, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 2 min. 11 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Take, O Take Those Lips Away, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 1 min. 3 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Sorrow Song, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 3 min. 52 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : The Message, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 2 min. 22 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Farewell, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 4 min. 42 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Care-Charmer Sleep, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 4 min. 42 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Since Love is Dead, for voice & piano

• Performers: Brian Cook (Bass Baritone); Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 2 min. 50 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : The Soul of Steel, for voice & piano

• Performers: Brian Cook (Bass Baritone); Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 4 min. 52 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Why Dost Thou Wound and Break My Heart?, for voice & piano

• Performers: Brian Cook (Bass Baritone); Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 2 min. 53 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : On Parting, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 2 min. 11 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Lady Ellayne, for voice & piano

• Performers: Brian Cook (Bass Baritone); Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 1 min. 51 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Renunciation, for voice & piano

• Performers: Brian Cook (Bass Baritone); Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 3 min. 34 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Love is a Merry Game, for voice & piano

• Performers: Brian Cook (Bass Baritone); Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 1 min. 45 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Piping Down the Valleys Wild, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 2 min. 3 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : The Chimney Sweeper, for voice & piano

• Performers: Brian Cook (Bass Baritone); Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 2 min. 56 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : The Land of Dreams, for voice & piano

• Performers: Brian Cook (Bass Baritone); Roger Vignoles (Piano)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 4 min. 1 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : The Defiled Sanctuary, for voice & piano

• Performers: Roger Vignoles (Piano); Brian Cook (Bass Baritone)
• Notes: Wigmore Hall, London W1 (03/14/1982/04/13/1982)
• Running Time: 2 min. 59 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic

Brian, Havergal : Legend, for violin & piano

• Performers: Peter Lawson (Piano); Stephen Levine (Violin)
• Notes: Craxton Studios, London NW3 (12/14/1981-12/15/1981)
• Running Time: 5 min. 47 sec.
• Period Time: Post Romantic