BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY OF NORTHERN IRELAND 1963 1964 FOURTH RECITAL under the auspices of THE QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST ★ RICHARD LEWIS TENOR GEOFFREY PARSONS PIANOFORTE SIR WILLIAM WHITLA HALL Queen's University, Belfast THURSDAY, 16th JANUARY, 1964 at 7.45 p.m.

Music for a While Henry Purcell (1659-1694) This is an aria from the incidental music for a play Oedipus by Dryden and Lee. The play itself dates from 1678, Purcell's music being probably written for the 1692 revival. "Music for a while shall all your cares beguile... For Hell's broke up and ghosts have holiday." Weep no more sad fountains Sorrow, stay I John Dowland (1563-1626) arr. Dörumsgard Dublin and London contend for the honour of being the birth- place of this distinguished Elizabethan lutenist. In his lifetime he held appointments in several countries and had his works published in several European capitals. II Would you gain the tender creature? (Acis and Galatea, 1721) How vain is man (Judas Maccabaeus, 1746) Would you gain the gentle creature? Softly, gently, kindly treat her; Suffering is the lover's part. Beauty by constraint possessing You enjoy but half the blessing Lifeless charms, without the heart. Georg Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Three Rückert Songs Ich atmet' einen linden Duft How vain is man who boasts in fight The valour of gigantic might, And dreams not that a hand unseen Directs and guides this weak machine III Gustave Mahler (1860-1911) I breathed a gentle scent, the lovely scent of the lime, tied up by my beloved's hand. How lovely is the scent of lime, the gentle scent of love. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder It is desecration to look at my songs now. We do not watch the bees while they build their cells, but wait, wait till they are filled with honey. Then, love, be the first to taste! Um Mitternacht At midnight I awoke and gazed up to heaven, but no star gazed back at me. I found no comfort and felt but pain; I fought the battle of human woe but could not decide it. And so at mid- night I gave the power into Thy hand, Lord, who keepest watch over life and death.

Two songs Richard Strauss (1864-1949) Freundliche vision, Op 48 No. 1 (Words by Bierbaum). In a dream of the daytime the poet sees himself walking among the beauteous flowers and going with his love to a place of beauty. Cäcilie, Op 27 No. 2 (Words by Heinrich Hart). If you but knew the anguish of dreaming of you, your heart would assent; if you knew the anguish of lying awake for you, you would come to me. INTERVAL IV L'invitation au voyage Henri Duparc (1848-1933) (Words by Baudelaire). My child, my sister, think of the de- light of going to live, to love, to die in that land that resembles you. The suns of those clouded skies have the mysterious charm of your deceitful eyes that shine through their tears. Here there is naught but order and beauty and ships that ride idly in the canals from the ends of the earth to satisfy your desires. The setting sun clothes everything in gold. The world falls asleep, there is naught but peace and delight. Chanson triste (Words by Jean Lahor). In your heart sleeps the bright moon- light of a summer night; to escape the ills of life I shall drown myself in your brightness. I shall forget past griefs, beloved, when you cradle me in your arms. You will take my ailing head upon your knees and sing ballads that will seem to speak of us, and in your eyes I shall drink so many kisses that perchance I shall be healed. Extase (Words by Jean Lahor). On a pale lily my heart sleeps with a sleep sweet as death, an exquisite death perfumed by the breath of my deloved. On your pale breast my heart sleeps in a sleep sweet as death. Phydilé (Words by Leconte de Lisle). The grass is soft for sleep under the poplars. Sleep, Phydilé to the sound of the bees and the birds and the perfume of flowers. But when the evening star appears and the heat of the day dies down may your smile and your kisses reward me for waiting.

Song Cycle: The heart's assurance Song: Oh journeyman (Alun Lewis) The heart's assurance (Sidney Keyes) Compassion (Alun Lewis) The dancer (Alun Lewis) Remember your lovers (Sidney Keyes) This song cycle was written in 1951 to the work of two young poets killed in the war. Throughout the cycle is the constant opposition between the ideas of death and love. Michael Tippett (1905- ) Next Concerts Thursday, January 23: GASPAR CASSADO (Cello) and CHIEKO HARA (Pianoforte) Toccata Frescobaldi Seven variations on Mozart's "Bei Männern" Beethoven Sonata in F. major Op 99 Brahms Suite in C minor for solo Cello Bach Rhapsodie No. 1 Bartok Thursday, March 5: Thursday, February 27: MAX ROSTAL (Violin) and COLIN HORSLEY (Pianoforte) Sonata in B flat, K 454 Sonatina Sonata Sonata in A major, Op 47 (Kreutzer) Quartet in B flat major Quartet No. 5 Quartet in F major, Op 135 (Posthumous) Mozart Lennox Berkeley Debussy Beethoven AEOLIAN STRING QUARTET Mozart Bartok Beethoven