Robert Lucas Pearsall (1795–1856): Lay a garland
sung by Andrew Leslie Cooper
text from The Maid's Tragedy by Beaumont & Fletcher


Lay a garland on her hearse
of dismal yew.
Maidens, willow branches wear,
say she died true.
Her love was false, but she was firm
Upon her buried body lie
lightly, thou gentle earth.

Pearsall: Lay a garland

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958): Tired
performed by Andrew Leslie Cooper
text by Ursula Vaughan Williams (1911–2007)


Sleep, and I’ll be still as another sleeper
holding you in my arms,
glad that you lie so near at last.
This sheltering midnight is our meeting place,
no passion or despair or hope divide me from your side.
I shall remember firelight on your sleeping face,
I shall remember shadows growing deeper
as the fire fell to ashes and the minutes passed.

Vaughan Williams: Tired

Henry Purcell (1659–95): Come ye sons of art
III. Sound the trumpet
performed by Andrew Leslie Cooper
text attributed to Nahum Tate


Sound the trumpet, till around
You make the list'ning shores rebound.
On the sprightly hautboy play;
All the instruments of joy,
That skilful numbers can employ,
To celebrate the glories of this day.

Purcell: Sound the trumpet

Maurice Duruflé (1902–86): Ubi caritas
sung by Andrew Leslie Cooper
text by Paulinus of Aquileia


Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exsultemus, et in ipso jucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.


Where charity and love are, there God is.
The love of Christ has gathered us into one.
Let us exult, and in Him be joyful.
Let us fear and let us love the living God.
And from a sincere heart let us love each other (and Him).
Where charity and love are, there God is.

Duruflé: Ubi caritas

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759): Vivi, tiranno!
from Rodelinda
performed by Andrew Leslie Cooper
text by Niccolò Francesco Haym, after Antonio Salvi


Vivi tiranno!
Io t’ho scampato
Svenami, ingrato,
sfoga il furor.

Volli salvarti
sol per mostrarti
ch’ho di mia sorte
più grande cor.

Vivi tiranno... etc.


Live, Tyrant!
I have saved you.
Now kill me, ingrate,
unleash your rage!

I wished to save you
only to show you
That my heart is
greater than my fate.

Live, Tyrant... etc.

Handel: Vivi, tiranno!

Reynaldo Hahn (1874–1947): Les cygnes
performed by Andrew Leslie Cooper
text by Armand Renaud (1836–95)


Ton âme est un lac d’amour
Dont mes désirs sont les cygnes.
Vois comme ils en font le tour,
Comme ils y creusent des lignes.

Voyageurs aventureux,
Ils vont, les ailes ouvertes.
Rien n’est ignoré par eux
Des flots bleus aux îles vertes.

Bruyants et pompeux, les uns
Sont d’un blanc que rien n’égale,
Désirs, nés dans les parfums
Par un soleil de Bengale!

Les autres, muets et noirs,
Ont comme un air de mystère.
Désirs, nés pendant les soirs
Où tout s’endort sur la terre.

Sans nombre sont ces oiseaux
Que ton âme voit éclore!
Combien déjà sur les eaux
Et combien à naître encore!

Ton âme est un lac d’amour
Dont mes désirs sont les cygnes.

Vois, comme ils font le tour de ton âme!


Your soul is a lake of love
Upon which my desires are the swans.
See how they traverse it,
How they plough its lines.

Adventurous travelers,
They go, their wings unfurled.
Nothing is unknown to them
From the blue waves to the green islands.

Noisy and pompous, some
Have an unequalled whiteness,
Desires born amid the fragrances
Of the sun in Bengal!

Others, silent and black,
Have such an air of mystery,
Desires born during the night
Where all slumber on the earth.

Without number are these birds
Which your soul sees in blossom!
How many are already on the waters
And how many are yet to be born!

Your soul is a lake of love
Upon which my desires are the swans.

See how they traverse your soul.

Hahn: Les cygnes

Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643): Pur ti miro
from L'incoronazione di Poppea
Bobbie Blommesteijn, soprano
Andrew Leslie Cooper, countertenor
Andrew Leslie Cooper, harpsichord
text by Giovanni Francesco Busenello


Pur ti miro,
Pur ti godo,
Pur ti stringo,
Pur t'annodo,
Più non peno,
Più non moro,
O mia vita, o mi tesoro.

Io son tua...
Tuo son io...
Speme mia, dillo, dì,
Tu sei pur, speme mia
L'idol mio, dillo, dì,
Tu sei pur,
Sì, mio ben,
Sì, mio cor, mia vita, sì.

Pur ti miro...


I gaze at you
I tighten closer to you
I delight in you
I am bound to you
I no longer suffer
I no longer die
Oh my life, Oh my treasure.

I am yours
You are mine
My hope, say it, say,
The idol of mine, Yes, my love,
You are mine, tell me so
The idol of mine,
Yes, my love,
Yes, my heart, my life, yes.

I gaze at you...

Monteverdi: Pur ti miro (feat. Bobbie Blommesteijn)

Jacques Arcadelt (c.1507–68): Margot, labourez les vignes
sung by Andrew Leslie Cooper


Margot, labourez les vignes, vigne, vigne, vignolet,
Margot, labourez les vignes bientôt.

En revenant de Lorraine,
Rencontrai troi capitaines.

refrain

Ils m’ont saluée vilaine.
Je suis leurs fièvres quartaines.

refrain

Je ne suis pas si vilaine,
Puisque le fils du roi m’aime.

refrain

Il m’a donne pour etrenne:
Un bouquet de Marjolaine.

refrain

S’il fleurit, je serais reine.
S’il y meurt, je perds ma peine.

refrain


Margot, labor at the vine soon.

As I returned from the Lorraine,
I chanced upon three capitaines.

refrain

They called me country-bred.
I am their quartan fever.

refrain

I'm not that country-bred,
Since the King's son loves me dear.

refrain

He brought a present to me:
A big spray of marjoram.

refrain

If it blooms I will be Queen.
Should it die, I've lost my time.

refrain

Arcadelt: Margot labourez les vignes

A one-minute sample of Spem in alium by Thomas Tallis, performed entirely by Andrew Leslie Cooper.

Full version coming 1st January 2021.

Tallis' Virtual Voice is a project conceived and sponsored by the Thomas Tallis Society comprising this new recording, a comprehensive performance resource for Spem in alium, and a radical new edition by Hugh Keyte.

For more information, visit:
www.AndrewLeslieCooper.com/TallisVV
www.thomas-tallis-society.org.uk

#TallisVV

Tallis' Virtual Voice: one minute sample

Thomas Tallis (1505–85): Spem in alium
all 40 parts performed by Andrew Leslie Cooper
text from the Sarum liturgy, derived from Judith 8:19 and 6:19


Spem in alium nunquam habui
præter in te, Deus Israël,
qui irasceris et propitius eris,
et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis.
Domine Deus, Creator cæli et terræ,
respice ad humilitatem nostram.


I have never put my hope
in any other but in You, God of Israel,
who will be angry and yet become again gracious,
and who forgives all the sins of man in suffering.
Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth,
look upon our lowliness.


Tallis' Virtual Voice is a project conceived and sponsored by the Thomas Tallis Society centred around Spem in alium. It comprises this new recording, a comprehensive performance resource for the piece, and a radical new edition by Hugh Keyte.

For more information, visit:
www.AndrewLeslieCooper.com/TallisVV
www.thomas-tallis-society.org.uk

#TallisVV

Arcadelt: Margot labourez les vignes

Andrew Leslie Cooper

Related tracks