The Power of Love: An English Songbook / Alice Coote, Johnson - Hyperion - HYP

Alice Coote, one of the most distinctive mezzo-sopranos of today, makes her recital debut on Hyperion with pianist Graham Johnson, a stalwart of the label and tireless explorer of vocal repertoire. The Power of Love creates what Johnson describes as, "a pageant of English song and poetry," covering half a century of song and surveying not just human love but love of nature and even of money. Some of the most touching pieces here involve the loss of love through death, not least Ivor Gurney's Lights Out and Gustav Holst's Betelgeuse. There's serenity, too, in mellifluous settings by Roger Quilter, while high spirits are supplied by Maude Valérie White's The Spring has come and Warlock's sardonic Queen Anne, which includes the immortal lines, "I am Queen Anne, of whom 'tis said / I'm chiefly fam'd for being dead."

"From start to finish, the artistry of Alice Coote and Graham Johnson is of the highest order." -Gramophone

Financial Times
Almost every track on the mezzo's recital springs a surprise

International Record Review
['Love's Philosophy'] needs and receives a bolder and stronger delivery than its neighbour, rising to a showy conclusion. It allows Coote to introduce an almost operatic approach as her voice peals forth... the Holst songs, mesmerizingly captured by Coote, whose voice seems almost detached as she intones 'Betelgeuse', recorded, like the rest of the programme, in clear sound.

BBC Music Magazine
[Victorian parlour repertoire] proves both admirably suited to her distinctively creamy yet expressive voice, and occasionally revelatory...The well-structured programme concludes with Holst's late Humbert Wolfe settings, in which Coote finds surprising power. Journey's End is tragically bleak.

American Record Guide, January/February 2013
It is Coote's dark, fine-edged voice and exceptional musicality that make this program, interesting and thoughtful as it is, so emotionally compelling. She is ably supported by Johnson, who navigates admirably between restraint and abandon as the music demands. Johnson also supplied the extensive notes; full texts are included.

Notes & Reviews:

Recording information: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-).

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Works Details

Molloy, James Lyman : Love's Old Sweet Song

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 4 min. 17 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Written: 1884

Maude Valérie White (1855 - 1937) : So We'll Go No More A-roving, for voice & piano

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 4 min. 32 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1920s

Maude Valérie White (1855 - 1937) : The Spring Has Come, for voice & piano

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 2 min. 34 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic

Maude Valérie White (1855 - 1937) : The Devout Lover, for voice & piano

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 4 min. 11 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1882

Elgar, Edward : Songs (2) for voice & piano, Op. 41

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 3 min. 15 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1901

Elgar, Edward : Pleading, Op. 48

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 3 min. 10 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1908

Lehmann, Liza : Ah, moon of my delight, for voice & piano

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 4 min. 43 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic

Lehmann, Liza : Love, if you knew the light, for voice & piano

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 24 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic

Vaughan Williams, Ralph : House of life

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 4 min. 42 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1903

Peel, Graham : Almond, wild almond, for voice & piano

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 58 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic

Peel, Graham : The Early Morning, for voice & piano

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 39 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic

Quilter, Roger : There be none of beauty's daughters, for voice & piano, Op. 24/1

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 2 min. 2 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Form: Vocal

Quilter, Roger : Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal for voice & piano, Op. 3/2

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 2 min. 24 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1904-1905

Quilter, Roger : Love's Philosophy, for voice & piano, Op. 3/1

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 29 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1904-1905

Grainger, Percy : The Power of Love, folk song for high voice & piano (DFMS 4)

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 4 min. 4 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1922

Gibbs, Cecil Armstrong : Hypochondriacus, for voice & piano

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 39 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1949

Lehmann, Liza : Pa's bank, for voice & piano

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 31 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic

Gibbs, Cecil Armstrong : The Song of Shadows

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 2 min. 33 sec.
Period Time: Modern

Warlock, Peter : Take, O Take Those Lips Away, for voice & piano (Saudades no 2)

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 59 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1918

Warlock, Peter : The Night, for voice & piano (from Belloc Songs)

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 2 min. 11 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1926

Warlock, Peter : Queen Anne, for voice & piano

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1928

Moeran, Ernest John : In Youth is Pleasure, for voice & piano

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 2 min. 29 sec.
Period Time: Modern

Gurney, Ivor : Goodnight to the Meadow, for voice & piano

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 18 sec.
Period Time: Modern

Gurney, Ivor : The boat is chafing

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 1 min. 38 sec.
Period Time: Modern

Gurney, Ivor : Lights out

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 4 min. 2 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1919

Holst, Gustav : Twelve Songs, H174, Op. 48 :: Journey's End

Performers: Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano); Graham Johnson (Piano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 2 min. 32 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1929

Holst, Gustav : Twelve Songs, H174, Op. 48 :: Betelgeuse

Performers: Graham Johnson (Piano); Alice Coote (Mezzo-soprano)
Notes: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London (2010-12-15&2010-12-15&2010-)
Running Time: 3 min. 56 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1929

The Power of Love: An English Songbook / Alice Coote, Graham Johnson

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