Moonlight and Roses
A short programme of songs about flowers – mostly roses and their meanings. From Mozart’s mini-opera in two minutes to a posy of Quilter songs to finish, taking in Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. The programme includes a few favourites such as ‘Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal’ and the lesser sung ‘The Fuchsia Tree’, a Manx ballad.
Flowers, and particularly roses, have been use through the ages as symbols of love. The lover is likened to a rose - 'My Love is Like a ...' and is a recognised herald of the Virgin Mary, as in the mediaeval poem 'There is no rose of such virtue like to the rose that bare Jesu'. Sometimes a poet will be very explicit in his description of love but hides it behind the seeming innocence of the flower - Tennyson's 'Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal'. Roses carry messages - Quilter's 'Go Lovely Rose', but where would the rose be without its companion the moon?
Performers
Elizabeth Charlesworth (soprano) and Hugh Finnigan (piano)
Programme
- Mozart: Das Veilchen
- Schubert: Haidenroslein
- Faure: Les Roses d'Ispahan
- Irish: The Rose of Tralee
- The Last Rose of Summer
- Moeran: Rosefrail
- Scottish: My Love is Like a Red Red Rose
- Quilter: Go Lovely Rose
- A Last Year's Rose
- The Fuchsia Tree
- Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
