01. - 09. Ralph Vaughan Williams - Songs of Travel [23'13]
10. Ralph Vaughan Williams - Lindon Lea [2'52]
11. Ralph Vaughan Williams -Silent Noon [4'36]
12. John Ireland - Sea Fever [2'02']
13. Charles Villiers Stanford - Drake's Drum [2'47]
14. Charles Villiers Stanford - The Old Superb [3'25]
15. Frederick Keel - Trade Winds [2'22]
16. Peter Warlock - Captain Stratton's Fancy [1'39]
A Recital of English Songs#
17. - 22. George Butterworth - Six Songs from 'A Shropshire Lad' [11'31]
23. - 25. Ernest.John.Moeran - Three Songs from 'Ludlow Town' [6'47]
Disc Two:
01. - 03. Henry Purcell (arr. Michael Tippett) - Three songs [5'56]
04. Henry Purcell (arr. Benjamin Britten) - Secular Cantata "When night her purple veil" [15'30]
05. Pelham Humfrey (arr. Michael Tippett):: A Hymne to God the Father [2'49]
The Songs of John Ireland^
06. - 10. Five Songs to Poems by Thomas Hardy [9'14]
11. - 16. Songs Sacred and Profane [7'53]
17. Santa Chiara [2'34]
18. The Heart's Desire [1'55]
19. The Merry Month of May [1'34]
20. Spring Sorrow [1'22]
21. The Sacred Flame [1'40]
22. Great Things [2'04]
23. Love and Friendship [2'16]
24. Friendship [1'43]
25. I Have Twelve Oxen [1'55]
John Shirley-Quirk- bass-baritone with Viola Tunnard*, Martin Isepp# and Eric Parkin^- pianos; Purcell & Humfrey - Martin Isepp- harpsichord, Ambrose Gauntlett- viola da gamba, Nona Liddell & Ivor McMahon- violins.
Heritage HTGCD283/4 (recording dates unknown; originally issued as three mono Saga LPs - XID5211, XID5260 & XID 5207 between 1963 to 1966; this CD issue 2014)
(digital download; flacs, cover and booklet scans)
Recrding venues, engineers and producers: Not disclosed
The great British bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk (who died in 2014) began his recording career with these issues for the small budget record label Saga - noted for its poor LP surfaces, short studio time and limited recorded sound quality. Nevertheless, they introduced a number of famous artists, including Janet Baker and the Hilliard Ensemble, in frequently uncommon repertoire at the time. The sound has come up very well in these re-masterings for the Heritage label - although the gap between items is often too short and the actual recording dates and production team remain shrouded in mystery. These legendary recordings, originally on three LPs are now contained on 2 CDs and there is a fine (if brief) booklet note by Tully Potter.
Around the time of these recordings, Shirley-Quirk became a stalwart of the English Opera Group and Benjamin Britten wrote many of his major roles for him. He went on to sing at Glyndebourne, Covent Garden and the Met. His warm tone and perfect diction, together with excellent accompanists, are particularly ideal for these Vaughan Williams, Butterworth and Ireland songs.