Charles Villiers Stanford: Songs of the Fleet/Songs of the Sea/Ballad of the Fleet SACD Super Audio CD (Chandos SACD Super Audi

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)


Songs of the Fleet, Op. 117* 26:04
for Baritone Solo, Chorus and Orchestra
1 I Sailing at Dawn. Andante molto tranquillo 4:20
2 II The Song of the Sou'Wester. Allegro non troppo, ma con fuoco 3:12
3 III The Middle-Watch. Andante molto tranquillo 7:42
4 IV The Little Admiral. Allegro vivace - Poco meno mosso - 3:41
5 V Fare Well. Quasi adagio - Poco più mosso - 6:09

The Revenge: A Ballad of the Fleet, Op. 24 25:17
for Chorus and Orchestra
6 I At Flores in the Azores. Allegro giusto e pesante - 4:10
Then spake Sir Richard Grenville -
So Lord Howard pass'd away. Un poco più lento -
7 IV He had only a hundred seamen: Andante sostenuto - 1:35
'Shall we fight or shall we fly?. . .' Poco più mosso -
And Sir Richard said again. Tempo I (Allegro giusto) -
8 V Sir Richard spoke and he laugh'd. Allegretto con moto - 6:05
Thousands of their soldiers look'd down -
And while now the great San Philip. Adagio molto -
And the battle-thunder broke. Allegro con fuoco -
But anon the great Sn Philip -
And the sun went down -
Ship after ship, the whole night long.
Allegro con fuoco -
For he said: 'Fight on! fight on! Con fuoco -
9 XI And the night went down. 4:47
Allegro tranquillo ma con moto -
And we had not fought them in vain. Più mosso -
But Sir Richard cried in his English pride.
Allegro giusto -
And the gunner said: 'Ay, ay'. Andante sostenuto -
And the lion there lay dying. Adagio molto -
10 XIII And the stately Spanish men. Allegretto maestoso - 4:43
But he rose upon their decks. Allegro giusto -
'I have fought for Queen and Faith. . .' Molto maestoso -
'. . .With a joyful spirit I Sir Richard Grenville die!'
Più lento -
And they stared at the dead -
11 But they sank his body with honour down. 3:56
Allegretto maestoso -
When a wind from the lands. Allegro moderato -
Till it smote on their hulls. Più allegro e con fuoco -
And the little Revenge herself went down.
Molto moderato e tranquillo

Songs of the Sea, Op. 91* 18:00
for Baritone, Chorus and Orchestra
12 1 Drake's Drum. Tempo di marcia moderato - 3:12
13 2 Outward bound. Andante espressivo 3:14
14 3 Devon, O Devon, in wind and rain. Allegro molto 1:44
15 4 Homeward bound. Andante tranquillo - Più lento 6:41
16 5 The Old Superb. Allegro molto - Presto 3:06
69:37
Gerald Finley baritone*
BBC National Chorus of Wales
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Richard Hickox
Recorded in:
Brangwyn Hall, Swansea
6-8 July 2005
Producer(s)
Brian Couzens
Sound Engineer(s)
Ralph Couzens
Michael Common (Assistant)
Format: DDD
Bit Rate: DSD