A Concord of Sweet Sounds 

Shakespeare North Playhouse 

13th June 2025

Within this concerts program we have used a plethora of music from a number of composers from multiple time periods of music. Here is a little bit about each composer in the order that they appear in the concert.

Madeline Dring 1923 - 1977

Madeline Dring was born in 1923, she showed significant musical prowess from an early age and won a junior scholarship at the Royal College of Music at 10 years old. She progressed through the RCM from the junior college into a full time senior student. The piano was her favoured instrument and she composed many pieces in 1940s and 50s for it. Her love of dance, theatre and jazz is woven throughout her compositions giving a unique fingerprint to her sound. She wrote many songs using words from poets and writers including Shakespeare, Herrick and Betjamin. The three songs by Dring that are included in this program are from her ‘Seven Shakespeare Songs’, however, most of these songs were published posthumously with only three of the seven receiving publication within her lifetime. 

If you are new to listening to Madeline Dring please do explore her catalogue of work, she writes with a character and flair for narrative and in a way that is truly her own. 

It Was a Lover - As You Like It, Act 5 Scene 3.

The song tells the story of a lover and his lass who quite literally have a roll in the hay - or at least in the rye. This particular scene consists of Touchstone, the fool, and his intended bride, Audrey running into two pages who dance in a circle with them while one of the pages sings this song. Part of the joke is that Touchstone is really only after Audrey because he wants a tumble, the other part is in the lyrics of the song itself, about an amorous couple in a cornfield.

Under The Greenwood Tree - As You Like It, Act 2 Scene 5.

This song is sang by Amiens who is encouraged, albeit in his own way, by Jaques. 

“Jaques
More, more, I prithee, more. 

Amiens
It will make you melancholy, Monsieur
Jaques. 

Jaques
I thank it. More, I prithee, more. I
can suck melancholy out of a song, as a weasel
sucks eggs. More, I prithee, more. 

Amiens
My voice is ragged: I know I cannot
please you. 

Jaques
I do not desire you to please me; I
do desire you to sing. Come, more; another
stanzo: call you 'em stanzos?

Amiens
What you will, Monsieur Jaques. 

Jaques
Nay, I care not for their names; they
owe me nothing. Will you sing? 

Amiens
More at your request than to please myself.”

Roger Quilter (1877 - 1953)

Roger Quilter is primarily known for his work within English Art Song, throughout his career he composed over 100 songs alongside other works including theatrical works, instrumental and choral pieces. He studied at Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt under the tutelage of Ivan Knorr. In 1901 his ‘Songs to the Sea’ were performed by Denham Price and Quilter instantly won public attention and praise. Ill health kept Quilter from serving in the First World World War, however, he used his musicality and privilege to provide concerts in various hospitals. Quilter worked closely with many creatives of his time including Italia Conti, Rodney Bennett, Gervase Elwes and Mark Raphael. 

Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind - As You Like It, Act 2 Scene 7. 

Duke Senior (the main character) and his loyal followers (like Jacques and Amiens) were banished to the Forest of Arden by Duke Senior's brother, Duke Frederick, after the latter unfairly and forcibly took his title and power. Dejected and emotionally down, Jaques, a lord in Duke Senior's exiled court, then urges Amiens to lighten the mood with a song. This poem reflects the harm and misery that those closest to us can inflict, especially when it comes to a power struggle, even in the family.

Come Away Death - Twelfth Night Act 2 Scene 4.

This Song is sung by Feste, the fool. It is a lament for unrequited love. The young man has been “slain by a fair cruel maid,” and his heart broken. He asks to be unceremoniously buried in a secret place so that no other “sad true lover” will chance to find his grave and find reason to weep there. 

Amy Beach (1867-1944)

Amy Beach is an American composer and pianist and is known as the first female composer in America to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra as well as the first classical US composer to achieve success without the benefit of European study. Her first performance was her ‘Gaelic Symphony’ and premiered in 1896 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She was a prolific public performer and composer from 1883 until her marriage in 1885 and, in accordance with her husband’s wishes, dissolved her performance schedule to only one per year with the proceeds donated to charity. After the death of her husband in 1910 he returned to regular performing and she toured Europe with her own compositions until the onset of WWI. Beach wrote a vast array of works including an opera Cabildo (1932), Violin Sonatas, piano quintet, Theme and Variations for Flute and Sting Quartet (1916). Over 300 of her works were published within her lifetime and thanks to the MacDowell Colony more music has been found published within recent decades. 

O Mistress Mine - Twelfth Night Act 2 scene 3 

This song is sung by Feste who is asked to sing of love. The lyrics urge his beloved to embrace the present moment, enjoy their youth, and come to him. The song also contains the famous line, "Journeys end in lovers' meeting”, which emphasises the importance of love and the end of a journey being a meeting with a lover. 

Fairy Lullaby - A Midsummer Nights Dream Act 2 scene 2. 

Titania’s fairies sing her a haunting lullaby to lull her to sleep, and she only awakes when Bottom appears as an ass.

Take, Oh Take Those Lips Away - Measure for Measure, act 4 scene 1. 

This melancholy song is sung by Mariana, who was betrothed to Angelo a while ago - only he refuses to marry her without a dowry. Mariana is frustrated in this song and is suggesting that Angelo take his lips away, since he used them to break promises, and to take his eyes as well, because they also lie. She asks that he return her kisses to her - a double meaning as on one hand,  she wishes she had not kissed him in the first place and, on the other, that she would like to kiss him again.

Dr Craig Wakerley

Composer’s note - A Marriage of True Minds

“A Marriage of True Minds is a piece written with a number of musical ideas in mind, such as the challenge of writing within Shakespeare's unusual rhythmic template, or that of capturing the mood of a beautiful poem in a contemporary tonal landscape.  Whilst the sonnet is pleasant to speak, with varying sentence lengths, it challenges the composer to write outside the traditional four bar system.  Although tricky, I embraced the irregularity, as it contributes to the many happy accidents that help make a piece unique and hopefully more special.  The sonnet is a declaration of love, so I wanted to make it pretty, and sonorous, to compliment the atmosphere of the words.  Behind the contemporary nature of the harmony is the influence of J.S.Bach also.  As I am forever reminded of hearing  Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140 for the first time, and how he creates an uplifting moment but then still finds space to make the music lift further, which I have tried to emulate in my own way at the open and close of the piece.”

- Dr Craig Wakerley

Michael Short (1937-2023)

Michael Short was a composer and musical educator born in Bermuda to English and Scottish parents. He studied at Bristol University, Morley College and London University. His achievement of winning a Mendelssohn Scholarship allowed is to study composition further under the turtle of Goffredo Petrassi in Italy and Sir Lennox Berkeley in London. His works are varied and include instrumental works, orchestral, vocal and choral pieces. He held a variety of academic posts throughout his career but his focus was drawn to composition, particularly through his latter years. 

Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred - Merchant Of Venice act 3 scene 2

Tell me where is Fancy bred,

Or in the heart, or in the head?

How begot, how nourishèd?

Reply, reply.

It is engender'd in the eyes,

With gazing fed; and Fancy dies

In the cradle where it lies.

Let us all ring Fancy's knell:

I'll begin it, - Ding, dong, bell.

Emma Lou Diemer 1927-2024

Emma Lou Diemer was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1927. Her love of piano and composition blossomed very early on in her life and she became the organist within her church at the age of 13. She continued her musical studied and later majored in Composition with a BA at the Yale School of Music and PhD at Eastman school of music. She has held a number of academic posts and created many programmes within those posted that contribute to the longevity and continued creativity in composition. This includes founding an electronic/computer music program in her time at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1971.  Throughout her career she was an active keyboard performer (Piano, harpsichord, organ, synthesiser) as well as creating many works as composer. 

Sigh No More Ladies, Sigh No More - Much Ado about Nothing, Act 2 Scene 3. 

‘Sigh No More Ladies, Sigh No More’ is a short song advising women to be wary of men’s naturally fickle nature and not to get too attached and emotional over men’s infidelities since deception is a core part of a man’s nature.  

Benjamin Britten 1913-1976

Benjamin Britten was a prolific and versatile composer. He began studying at the Royal College of Music at age of seventeen after studying composition privately for a number of years under the composer Frank Bridge. Britten’s career began in the film division of the BBC, creating incidental music for film and various other productions. During the 1930s Britten collaborated with a number of theatrical groups who shared his left wing political view point. These collaborations built the relationship between Britten and poet W.H.Auden who provided many of the texts for Brittens songs. Brittens versatility is evident in the amount of different works he composed. He wrote Art Song, Opera, instrumental works, orchestra pieces as well as incidental music for film and theatre. His work is highly original and full of energy and enthusiasm. Britten, alongside his partner (and highly successful Tenor) Peter Peers and Imogen Holst created the Aldeburgh festival in 1948 which premiered some of Brittens finest compositions. 

Be Kind and Courteous, A Midsummer Nights Dream (Opera by Britten) Act II

This song is sang by Titania, Queen of the Fairies. Be Kind and Courteous captures the effects of the love potion (administered by Puck) which has made Titania fall in Love with Bottom; A weaver who has been transformed into an ass (also by Puck). The aria is passionate and fantastical and wholly captured Titania’s transformation from from powerful dignified Fairy Queen to be infatuated and captivated by such a ridiculous character. 

Henry Purcell 1659-1695

Following on from Britten is Henry Purcell which seems very apt. Purcell is regarded as the composer from whom Britten was highly influenced. Alongside doing a number of realisations of Purcells songs with his own accompaniment Britten used the theme of the ‘Rondeau’ from ‘Abdelazer' as the basis for ‘The Young Persons Guide To The Orchestra.’

Henry Purcell was born in West in Westminster in 1659, he began his musical career as a chorister at Chapel Royal and sang at the coronation of King Charles II. He moved from choral singing to being an assistant organ builder whilst continuing his studies of composition with Dr John Blow. In 1679 Purcell took up the position of Organist of Westminster Abbey when his tutor Dr Blow retired. He had been composing music to accompany drama but focused on sacred choral music when he took this post. The exact dates are unknown, however, between 1680 and 1688 Purcell reigned his flare for composing for drama with his Chamber Opera ‘Dido and Aeneas’. This work is considered as a huge landmark in the history of English Dramatic Music due to the use of recitative, his setting of the narrative and expositional material in this way was similar to Italian Operas of the time. 

An Epithalamium is from Purcells opera “The Fairy Queen” which is based on A Midsummer Nights Dream. This song, also know as ‘Thrice Happy’ is a joyous wedding wedding song set to text by the opera librettist Elkanah Settle. It celebrates the reunion of Oberon and Titania, the fairy king and queen, after their quarrel. It's sung by Juno, who descends in a chariot, and she offers her blessings to the reconciled lovers.

Rachael Gibson 

Such Another Sleep That I Might See

Composers Note - Blood Shall Bear Witness 

“I wanted to reflect the physical, tactile and intimate descriptions of Antony by Cleopatra, her description in this scene is so embodied and visual! 

The breath is used to highlight this idea, reflecting and utilising the breath of the performers as a texture and sonic idea in is own right, timed though the use of box breathing, a technique which is usually used as for wellbeing and anxiety, but in this case I'd used to create a rhythm - breathing in, holding, breathing out, holding and starting the cycle over again”

- Rachel Gibson 

Andrew Barney

Cruor Testabitur - Blood Shall Bear Witness 

Composer’s Note – Cruor Testabitur

“This is my first choral composition, inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a play I’ve loved since studying it in secondary school. Drawn to its themes of magic, fate and madness, I structured the piece in three sections: the witches’ prophecy, the murderous ambition and the tragic descent.

With real-life couple Taran and Aimée as soloists, and the Hope Street Consort embodying the witches, the musical and dramatic forces aligned naturally.”

- Andrew Barney

Charles-François Gounod 1818-1893

Charles Gounod was a French composer who’s two most successful Operas ‘Faust’ and ‘Roméo et Juliette’ are still performed regularly on the international stage. Gounod was born into a musical family and attended the Conservatoire de Paris were he won France’s most prestigious musical prize - Prix de Rome. His studies allowed him to travel, he studied in Italy, Austria and Prussia (as it was known at the time.). It was his travels in Prussia which introduced him to Felix Mendelssohn. Mendelssohn was a lover and advocate of Bach and this influenced Gounod’s early career quite significantly. Due to advancement of Prussia on Paris during the ‘Franco-Prussian’ war, Gounod moved to London for refuge. After the war, he stayed in London for another number of years. His absence in France meant that he was no longer at the forefront of French music but he was still very highly regarded by his younger contemporaries. In his music, there is a strand of romantic sentiment that is continued in the operas of Jules Massenet and others; there is also a strand of classical restraint and elegance that influenced Gabriel Fauré. Claude Debussy wrote that Gounod represented the essential French sensibility of his time.

Je Veux Vivre is Juliette’s first aria in Gounod’s operatic setting of Romeo and Juliet. She sings it in response to being told that she should marry Paris. Juliette sings that she would like to live inside her dreams. 

Leonard Bernstein 1918-1990

Bernstein’s success as a composer ranged from Broadway hits to concert halls and beyond. He was an advocate for music and its inclusion and it’s accessibility in the lives of all people. He was a composer, educator, conductor and humanitarian. He began his musical career in Lawrence, Massachusetts where he was born. He later enrolled at Harvard college where he studied music. At the age of 25 Bernstein was propelled to overnight success after being asked to cover last minute for Bruno Walter in Carnegie Hall. Bernstein was the assistant conductor and covered the concert, with only hours notice, which was broadcast on CBS radio and covered on the front page of the New York Times. This overwhelming critical acclaim rapidly lead to invitations to conduct orchestras worldwide. A little later in his career he became the first American to conduct an opera at Milan's Teatro alla Scala with Maria Callas in the leading role. 

One Hand One Heart, a duet from the musical West Side Story, is a poignant expression of love and unity, reflecting the characters' shared dreams and the hope for a better future. The lyrics, written by Stephen Sondheim, focus on the idea of oneness, both physically and emotionally. The song is performed by Tony and Maria during their mock wedding ceremony, showcasing their symbolic marriage and reinforcing their bond. West Side Story is a Musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. West Side Story, like Romeo & Juliet, is about forbidden love and romance across familial barriers in a large city,  amid constant feuding on both sides, which resulted in violence and death, and finally,  reconciliation  between the two families, which took the resulting deaths  to happen.

Monologues by Harriet Walters from her book ‘She Speaks! What Shakespeare’s Women Might have Said’. 

https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9780349018911?gC=5a105e8b&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20226739100&gbraid=0AAAAADsTpASsRcDTWcX4UFrGSpgncoQoY&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7qrr2p_ujQMVM4xQBh3mTyDaEAQYAyABEgJcmvD_BwE

Bibliography 

Madeleine Dring seven Shakespeare Song intro Rodger Lord 1992

https://interlude.hk/roger-quilter/

https://www.amybeach.org/about/biography/

https://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/composer/michael-short

https://www.scottishmusiccentre.com/michael-short

https://www.emmaloudiemermusic.com/page/page/6385943.htm

https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/artists/britten-benjamin/

https://goodmorningbritten.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/foundations-britten-purcell/

https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/composer/1256/Henry-Purcell/

https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/artists/gounod-charles/

https://www.leonardbernstein.com/about

https://kellyrfineman.livejournal.com/541881.html?

https://www.superprof.co.uk/blog/blow-blow-thou-winter-wind/

https://composersedition.com/alison-willis-come-away-death/

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/5/22/1665023/-West-Side-Story-vs-Romeo-Juliet