Britten Thematic Catalogue

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BTC1015 A CHARM OF LULLABIES

For mezzo-soprano and piano, op. 41
Period of composition: Nov - 17 Dec 1947
First performance: 3 Jan 1948 >>
Type of performance: Concert performance
Location: The Hague
Performance details:

Nancy Evans mez, Felix de Nobel pf

Genre: Solo vocal
Text: See individual movements
Duration: 11'
Dedication: 'For Nancy Evans'

Nancy Evans, OBE (1915-2000), English mezzo-soprano. Created the role of Lucretia (as the lead in the second cast) in The rape of Lucretia, op. 37, of Nancy in Albert Herring, op. 39 and of Polly in Britten's realization of John Gay's The beggar's opera , op. 43.

Numbers

  • 1 A Cradle Song (William Blake, 1757-1827) >>
    notes:

    Britten used this text in an earlier setting for vocal duet. See A cradle song: sleep, beauty bright (Mar 1938).

  • 2 The Highland Balou (Robert Burns, 1759-1796)
  • 3 Sephestia's Lullaby (Robert Greene, 1558-1592)
  • 4 A Charm (Thomas Randolph, 1605-1635)
  • 5 The Nurse's Song (John Philip, 1631-1706)

Discarded Numbers

  • Discarded: Somnus the humble god that dwells in cottages and smokey cells (Sir John Denham, 1614-69)
  • Discarded: Come Little Babe (Nicholas Breton, 1545-1626)

All content copyright (C) Britten-Pears Foundation 2012 unless stated. Please note all BTC numbers are provisional at this stage.