Nick's new project - Poetry Serenade CD (Nations fav poems)

xantha · Last edited by xantha on Mon Aug 04, 2008 4:03 pm; edited 1 time in total

The latest news from nickgarrett.net is that Nick has been busy in the recording of a special new album. It is a collection of 18 of the nation's favourite poems set to music by Brian R. Knowles.

Also involved in this project are The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor James Morgan and Soloists Elin Manahan Thomas, Juliette Pochin, Jon Christos and The Brighton Festival Children's Choir.

The anticipated release date for this album is autumn 2008, but we will bring you more information as we receive it.

xaria · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:35 pm Post subject:

Excellent! I'm glad to find out who he was working with in January. Can't wait to hear the final product! Very Happy

x

novice · Joined: Feb 12, 2006 Posts: 554

That is a project worth looking forward to, most of us already know the
excellent voice Nick has even speaking. Some of us have heard him perform Enoch Arden.
I am so happy he decided to do this again!!
I just love the way Nicks voice can turn the written word into a movie
in your mind!

xaria · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:51 pm Post subject:

He really does have the best voice for narration doesn't he Very Happy

I was joking with my music lecturer that he should record his voice for a Sat-Nav thing. lol Laughing

x

xantha · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject:

Now that would be one sat-nav I'm sure I could get along with - anyone who knows me, knows how my current one is the bane of my life!! Mad

Nick's voice is perfect for narrating. I won't be able to attend the lunchtime recital at the Royal Opera House in April, but I am looking forward to this CD.

xantha · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 7:37 pm Post subject:

Just out of interest, are there any poems you would like to see included on the CD? What poems do you think would sound good being narrated by Nick.

Connie · Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 372

Well we can all agree that Nick did an excellent narrating of Enoch Arden. I always liked the poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" I think Nick would do a brilliant job narrating that one.

novice · Joined: Feb 12, 2006 Posts: 554

I think any poem with alot of emotions and drama would be great for Nick to recite.
Schiller wrote "Die Bürgschaft" - a ballad about the tyrant Dionysis.
Moerus is attempting to assasinate Dyonisis and is sentenced to death.
However Moerus is granted a delay so that he can take his sister to her designated husband. He leaves his best friend as a guarantee for his return, with Dionysis, who of course thinks the friend is crazy for doing this.
After many obstacles Moerus does return to fullfill his sentence and free his friend from bondage. This impresses Dionysis so much that instead of taking Moerus's life, he begs to be accepted as a friend.
It's very compelling in German but there are english tranlations which would work rather well. I can see Nick work his magic, especially the parts where Moerus encounters the obstacles to return for his sentence....
ahhh, my imagination is running off with me.

xantha · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:45 am Post subject:

They are both wonderful suggestions. Smile

In my original posting, I said that the poems would be set to music. I am curious now as to whether that means the poems will be narrated with music in the background or if the poems will be sung. I have a CD of Shakespeare's sonnets which has been given a similar treatment, either with famous actors such as Kenneth Branagh,Alan Rickman,Joseph Fiennes narrating them or singers like Annie Lennox, Rufus Wainwright & Sting singing them - it is a beautiful CD.

Nick's voice is so expressive I think he would be equally suited to romantic poetry or something more sombre - perhaps from the War poets like Wilfred Owen or Rupert Brooke.

Connie · Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 372

I was curious about that too, but either way narrated with music in the background or if the poems are going to be sung...it will have Nick's voice either way so it has to be lovely. Wink

novice · Joined: Feb 12, 2006 Posts: 554

We should hear more soon on this, Autumn is not that far away!
I really am anticipating the release of this, as I am wondering what "Nations favorite Poems" might include.

xantha · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:30 pm Post subject:

Funny you should say that Novice.....here's some information you might be interested in......

A compilation of 18 of the Nation’s favourite poems set to music by Brian Knowles.

The CD features The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by James Morgan, 4 internationally renowned soloists: Jon Christos (tenor), Nick Garrett (bass-baritone), Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano) and Juliette Pochin (mezzo-soprano), The Brighton Festival Children’s Choir, and RSVP Voices. The album has been co-produced by James Morgan and Juliette Pochin. The CD will be released in the UK in time for National Poetry Day on October 9th 2008.

The selected poems are:-

• Everyone Sang – Siegfried Sassoon
• She Walks In Beauty – Lord Byron
• He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven – W B Yeats
• Lord Of The Winds – Mary Coleridge
• Crossing The Bar – Alfred Lord Tennyson
• Written In March – William Wordsworth
• The Lake Isle Of Innisfree – W B Yeats
• Come Sweetheart, Come – 10th C. trans.- Helen Waddell
• I Sing Of A Maiden – Anon.
• Love Came Down At Christmas – Christina Rossetti
• In Memoriam – Alfred Lord Tennyson
• Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep – Anon.
• The Soldier – Rupert Brooke
• Night Mail – W H Auden
• Weathers – Thomas Hardy
• The Daffodils – William Wordsworth
• I Remember, I Remember – Thomas Hood
• A Child’s Sleep – Carol Ann Duffy

All tracks are performed by a soloist (many with choir) – except “Come Sweetheart, Come” -arranged for tenor and soprano. The finished album will contain an additional bonus track, “Love Came Down At Christmas” recorded with all four soloists.

....so what do you think? Do they include some of your favourite poems? What ones do you like, dislike, want to read more about? Let's hear your thoughts......

Connie · Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 372

Fantastic! Such a wonderful selection of poems. I will be waiting patiently for the release in October. Very Happy

Something definitely to look forward to.

xaria · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject:

Do not stand at my grave is the only one I know, but as a Lincolnshire person I'll be especially interested to hear the Tennyson poems. Looking forward to the release! Smile

x

novice · Joined: Feb 12, 2006 Posts: 554

Right off I only am familiar with The Daffodils. I think it would be great to read them all.
My memory is not made to remember the verses well, often I remember only the story of the peom or such. And if I do happen to remember some verse it might be the first or last, in the case of Daffodils it's the end of the peom I smile at:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

The way I think of this peom is that when one feels loneley, there is always a silver linning on the horizon in form of memories and friends. The Daffodils are the friends and memories. You are never alone, when one has both!
Thanks for the info xantha, and only 20 min after my post. I guess we were on the same wave length