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AN HISTORIC REISSUE!

Recent Reviews:

"Here we have Elizabethan Song and he casts his distinctive timbre and fine pronunciation on this repertoire as well, abetted by the superior harpsichord playing of Claude Jean Chiasson,...for Cuénod everything is light and bright in “When Laura Smiles” and in the pithier and prettier songs generally, the majority. We can perhaps best appreciate the salient qualities of Cuénod's voice in Pilkington's "Underneath a Cypress Tree" - its characteristic warmth of utterance, fast vibrato, command of language and diction, ease of phrasing, rather limited compass. The very particular and personal nature of his vibrato could sometimes lead to a rather tremulous delivery, which had its charm as well, though not everyone appreciated it; try “Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes”. One of the most comprehensively successful performances is of Dowland's “Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part” which is a beautiful song well suited to the plaintive and plastic limpidity of Cuénod's voice."
Jonathan Woolf - Musicweb International, November, 2008

"As fans of Hugues Cuénod probably know, the man is 106 years old and apparently still living, holding the record for at least two things: he was the oldest person to make a debut at the Met, where he sang the Emperor in Turandot in 1987 at age 85, and he is the oldest living tenor. This is a reissue of a recording made in 1952. The notes refer to the fact that Cuénod was popular for his "light, unmannered, natural sound'; which is a good way to describe it. Many of the songs on the program are familiar: 'When Laura Smiles; 'Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes; 'Sorrow, Sorrow Stay; 'Now, 0 Now, I Needs Must Part; Added onto the love songs is Jean Philippe Rameau's Diane etActeon. The sound is excellent, considering the age of the recording; those who enjoy historic programs will want to pick this up."
CRAWFORD - AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE

An historic Lyrichord reissue of Hugues Cuénod, the legendary Swiss tenor, whose remarkable career spanned most of the 20th century - accompanied here by another legend, harpsichordist Claude Jean Chiasson. Not available since the 1950s, “Elizabethan Love Songs“ remains a glorious collection of love songs from the English Renaissance that sound as if they could have been written for the uniquely tender vocal stylings of the great Hugues Cuénod. Cuénod is accompanied by another legendary player, harpsichordist Claude Jean Chiasson, a harpsichordist and instrument builder of great distinction who left his mark firmly upon the early music revival of the twentieth century. Includes such timeless songs as Dowland's “Weep You No More, Sad Fountaines”, Philip Rosseter's “When Laura Smiles”, and the still-popular “Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes”.

Includes bonus secular cantata, Jean Philippe Rameau's (now attributed to Joseph Bodin de Boismortier): "Diane et Acteon"

Elizabethan Love Songs

Tracks:
1. “When Laura Smiles” - Philip Rosseter (1601) - 1:43
2. Galiardo - Harpsichord - John Bull (1562-1628) - 1:38
3. “Go to Bed, Sweet Muse” - Robert Jones (1608) - 1:12
4. Alman - Harpsichord - Robert Johnson (1569-1633) - 1:14
5. “Sweet Kate” - Robert Jones (Pub. 1608) - 1:36
6. The Lord of Salisbury - His Pavan - Orlando Gibbons - 3:13
7. “Underneath a Cypress Tree” - F. Pilkington (1605) - 3:59
8. The King's Morisco - Harpsichord - Anon. - 1:17
9. “Weep You No More, Sad Fountaines” - Dowland - 2:45
10. Fayne Would I Wed - Richard Farnaby - 1:14
11. “Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes” - 2:56
12. “Have You Seen But a Whyte Lilly Grow” - 2:15
Verses by Ben Johnson - set anonymously
13. The Fall of the Leafe (Autumn) - Martin Peerson - 1:57
14. The Primerose - Martin Peerson (1592-1650) - 1:29
15. “Sorrow, Sorrow Stay” - John Dowland (1563-1626) - 3:47
16. Tower Hill - Giles Farnaby (1569-1598?) - 0:58
17. “Why Dost Thou Turn Away?” - Giles Earle's Ms. - 1:28
18. Giles Farnaby's Dreame - Giles Farnaby - 1:18
19. “Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part” - John Dowland - 3:18
20. A Toye - Harpsichord - Anon. - 0:53
21. “Away With These Self-loving Lads” - John Dowland - 1:43

Jean Philippe RAMEAU (1683-1764) 'DIANE ET ACTEON' (now attributed to Joseph Bodin de Boismortier)
22. Recit: “Dans le fond d'un vallon ombragé” - 1:21
23. Air Gai: “Fuyez, fuyez, faune sauvage” - 2:37
24. Recit: “Cependant les coursiers de l'amant - 1:01
25. Air Vif: “Que le son du cor rapelle no chasseurs” - 3:02
26. Recit: “Ciel! Tandis qu'au sommeil sa troupe” - 1:38
27. Air Tendre: “Quand le silence et le mystere” - 4:30

Download Texts and Translations for Rameau's (now attributed to Joseph Bodin de Boismortier) "Diane et Acteon" here!

Additional Information

Read full Music Web International review by Jonathon Woolf here.