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ELGAR – Song No.1 – Stars of the Summer Night (‘Spanish Serenade’) – version for 2 Vocal soloists or full female choir, two obligato cello soloists, and piano

Other Identification:
The Spanish Serenade (Stars of the Summer Night), can be performed as in original form with accompaniment either for two violins and piano (as on this recording) or for small orchestra. For his text, Elgar this time went to this mother’s favourite poet, Longfellow. With its guitar-like strumming, the Serenade evokes a sultry Spanish atmosphere, an occasional feature in Elgar’s later chamber music. Elgar gave this part song an opus number (23) and Novello’s published it in 1892, being first performed in Hereford in April 1893. It is in A minor and lasts about 4 minutes.

Movements or sections: English text:
Stars of the summer night!
Far in yon azure deeps,
Hide, hide your golden light!
She sleeps, my lady sleeps!

Moon of the summer night!
Far down yon western steeps,
Sink, sink in silver light!
She sleeps, my lady sleeps!

Wind of the summer night!
Where yonder woodbine creeps,
Fold, fold thy pinions light!
She sleeps, my lady sleeps!

Dreams of the summer night!
Tell her, her lover keeps watch!
While in slumbers light
She sleeps, my lady sleeps!

Instrumentation:
version for 2 Vocal soloists or full female choir, two obligato violoncello soloists, and piano, prepared by David Johnstone

This music is in 3 PDFs:
[1 – General Piano/Vocal Score
[2 – Part for Cello 1
[3 – Part for Cello 2

Approximate difficulty: DIFFICULT
An ideal work for two cello performers of professional ability, especially collaborating with female choirs, with the possibility to convey an expressiveness not so far displaced from the composer’s famous E minor Cello Concerto!

Dedicatee of this presentation (if applicable):
These special versions with two cello soloists are dedicated to cellists Lluis Claret & Anna Mora

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David Johnstone lives near Pamplona (Navarre, Spain) with his wife Rosa and their two “Spanglish” children, close to the Atlantic Pyrenees. The nearest international airport is Bilbao.

He is interested in world affairs, politics, animal rights, and most sports (including being a lifelong suffering Reading FC fan!). Also passionate about Celtic culture and genealogy, he has traced his ‘English’ family back to 1280, although Scotland and Ireland have also shaped his background. And yes — he is half-ashamed to admit it, he loves silly jokes!

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David Johnstone supports animal rights, he is against any form of abuse towards them, and says a loud “NO” to bullfighting, foxhunting and any other animal cruelty.

TORTURE IS NOT CULTURE !