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Track(s) taken from CDA66271/2

Spanish Serenade, Op 23

First line:
Stars of the summer night!
composer
1892; in A minor; SATB, violins & piano
author of text

Worcester Cathedral Choir, Donald Hunt (conductor), Jeremy Ballard (violin), Robin Thurlby (violin), Keith Swallow (piano)
Recording details: March 1987
The Chapter House, Worcester Cathedral, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Antony Howell
Release date: December 1987
Total duration: 4 minutes 46 seconds

Cover artwork: Broadheath (Elgar's birthplace). David Birtwhistle
 

Reviews

‘Another invaluable issue from Hyperion’ (Music and Musicians)
The Spanish Serenade (Stars of a Summer Night), can be performed with accompaniment either for two violins and piano (as on this recording) or for small orchestra. For his text, Elgar this time went to this mother's favourite poet, Longfellow, who was also to be commandeered for the words of the cantatas The Black Knight (1893) and King Olaf (1896). With its guitar-like strumming, the Serenade evokes a sultry Spanish atmosphere, a recurring feature in Elgar's music from Sevillana to episodes in the late chamber music, notably the Violin Sonata. Elgar gave this partsong an opus number (23) and Novello's published it in 1892. It was first performed in Hereford in April 1893.

from notes by Michael Kennedy ©

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