1 Prologue
Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (Piano)
Benjamin Britten, Composer
Texts by various British Poets
Lloyd W. Hanson, Tenor
Ron Lemon, Horn
Mona Bledsoe, Piano
The Prologue and Epilogue are played on natural hormonics of the Horn
2 Pastoral (Cotton)
By Charles Cotton
The Day's grown old; the fainting Sun
Has but a little way to run,
And yet his Steeds with all his skill
Scarce lug the Chariot down the hill
The shadows now so long do grow,
That brambles like tall cedars show;
Molehills seem mountains, and the ant
Appears a monstrous elephant
A very little, little flock
Shades thrice the ground that it would stock
Whilst the small stripling following them
Appears a mighty Polypheme.
And now on benches all are sat,
In the cool air to sit and chat,
Til phoebus, dipping in the West,
Shall lead the world the way to rest.
3 Nocturne (Tennyson)
by Alfred Lord Tennyson
The splendor falls on castle walls
And snowy summits old in story
The long light shakes across the lakes
And the wild cataract leaps in glory
Blow , bugle, blow
Set the wild echoes flying,
Bugle, blow
And answer echoes answer
Dying, dying dying
O hark, O hear! how thin and clear
And thinner, clearer, farther going!
O sweet and far from cliff and scar
The horns of Elf land faintly blowing!
Blow, bugle blow
O love, they die in yon rich sky
They faint on hill or field or river,
Our echoes roll from soul to soul
And grow for ever and for ever
Blow, bugle, blow
4 Elegy (Blake)
by William Blake
O Rose, thou art sick;
The invisible worm
That flies in the night,
In the howling storm,
Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy;
And his dark, secret love
Does thy life destroy
5 Dirge (Anonymous)
Anonymous, 15th Century
This ae night, this ae night
Every night and alie,
Fire and fleet and candlelight,
And Christe receive thy saule.
When thou from hence away art past,
To Whinnymuir thou com'st at last;
And Christe receive thy saule
If ever thou gav'st hos'n and shoon,
Sit thee down and put them on;
And Christe receive thy saule
If hos'n and shoon thou ne'er gav'st nane
The whines sall prick thee to the bare bane;
And Christe receive thy saule
From Whinnymuir when thou may'st pass
To Brig o'Dread thou com'st at last
And Christe receive thy saule
From Brig o'Dread when thou may'st pass,
To Purgatory fire thou com'st at last
And Christe receive thy saule
If ever thou gav'st meat or drink,
The fire sall never make thee shrink;
And Christe receive thy saule
If meat or drink thou ne'er gav'st nane
The fire will burn thee to the bare bane
And Christe receive thy Saul
This ae night, this ae night
Every night and alie,
Fire and fleet and candlelight,
And Christe receive thy saule.
6 Hymn (Ben Johnson)
by Ben Johnson
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
Now the sun is laid to sleep
Seated in thy silver chair,
State in wonted manner keep:
Hesperus entreats thy light
Godess, excellently bright.
Earth let not try envious shade
Dare itself to interpose;
Cynthia's shining orb was made
Heav'n to clear when day did close:
Bless us then with wished sight
Godess, excellently bright
Lay thy bow of pearl apart
And thy crystal shining quiver
Give unto the flying hart
Space to breathe, how short so ever
Thou that mak'st a day of night
Godess excellently bright.
7 Sonnet (Keats)
By John Keats
O soft embalmer of the still midnight
Shutting with careful fingers and benign
Our gloom pleas'd eyes, embower'd from the light,
Enshaded in forgetfulness divine:
O soothest Sleep, if so it please thee,
Close in midst of this thine hymn my willing eyes,
Or wait the 'Amen' ere thy poppy throws
Around my bed its lulling charities
Then save me, save me, or the passed day
Will shine upon my pillow, breeding many woes,
Save me, save me from curious Conscience
that still lords Its strength for darkness,
burrowing like a mole;
Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards,
And seal the hushed Casket of my Soul
8 Epilogue
The Prologue and Epilogue are played on natural hormonics of the Horn
Benedictus – Lloyd Hanson
Mass in B Minor by J. S. Bach. Recorded May, 1972 with the St. Olaf Choir and Orchestra under the direction of Kenneth Jennings. All soloists are alumni of St. Olaf College and sang in the St. Olaf Choir during their years at the college.