Sarah Moulton Faux, soprano; Ted Taylor, piano
with Heather Johnson, Laura Krumm, mezzo-sopranos; Nicholas Tamagna, countertenor
Growing up in the South in the first half of the 20th century, Lola Williams (1913-2013) exhibited great musical talent at a time when women rarely were encouraged to compose, and those who did struggled to hear their works performed publicly. Williams was a serious Shakespearean scholar as well as music educator, but it was not until her retirement that she was able to fully dedicate herself to writing and composition.
She quietly created a large body of art songs, mostly inspired by Shakespearean texts, for female voices－solos, duets, and trios－which she seldom shared outside of private clubs. In their melding of vernacular musical forms with classical techniques, her lyrical and tonally lush compositions are reminiscent of the music of Frederick Delius and Gustav Mahler.
The immense work of Williams's later years languished, untouched, in boxes in her son Derek Williams's basement until he contacted Sarah Moulton Faux, an acclaimed soprano and former student, who instantly recognized its value. Faux and her long-time collaborator Ted Taylor labored over handwritten drafts, puzzling out the most complete versions, and analyzing the composer's intent.
The resulting program demonstrates Williams's felicitous pairing of text and music, matching Shakespeare's inimitable wit and profound verse to painterly/illustrative melodies that are fortunately preserved.
This world-premiere recording features texts from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Love's Labor's Lost, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, and Hamlet, as well as Sonnet 116. A rarity is a setting of Shakespeare's only surviving allegorical poem, The Phoenix and the Turtle.
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Sarah Moulton Faux is stunning. Recorded in beautiful sound and accompanied by an extensive, scholarly booklet note, this is a major release... a true treasure trove. －Fanfare
Where Should This Music Be? - Songs of Lola Williams
| MP3/320 | $16.00 | |
| FLAC | $16.00 | |
| WAV | $16.00 | |
| CD | $26.00 |
Track Listing
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O Mistress Mine
Lola Williams
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There’s Only One Man
Lola Williams
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Scene from The Tempest, Act I
Lola Williams
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Our Revels Now Are Ended
Lola Williams
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Cuckoo Sings (for Spring)
Lola Williams
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Owl Sings (for Winter)
Lola Williams
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Celia Sings: Be Merry
Lola Williams
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How Do I Love (Thee) You?
Lola Williams
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Sonnet 116
Lola Williams
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Feste’s Song
Lola Williams
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Sigh No More, Ladies
Lola Williams
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Sweet Lullaby
Lola Williams
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Blow, Blow,Thou Winter Wind
Lola Williams
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Come Away,Death
Lola Williams
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Threnos (for Romeo and Juliet)
Lola Williams
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Plot of the Fairy King
Lola Williams
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Christmas Words
Lola Williams
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Manger Scene
Lola Williams
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My Dancing Day
Lola Williams
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