Till the Stars Fall Matthew Long

• TRADITIONAL (arr. Vaughan Williams)
• 1The Turtle Dove (version for voice and piano)02:50
• HOLST (arr. Rathbone)
• 2I vow to thee, my country (arr. J. Rathbone for voice and orchestra)04:16
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Long and Miller)
• 3She Moved Through the Fair (arr. M. Long and R. Miller for voice and guitar)02:29
• HOLST
• 412 Songs, Op. 48: No. 5. The thought02:13
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Parry)
• 5My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose (arr. B. Parry for voice and orchestra)04:04
• TRADITIONAL (arranged Long and Miller)
• 6Llwyn-onn (The Ash Grove) (arr. M. Long and R. Miller for voice and guitar)02:01
• QUILTER
• 75 English Love Lyrics, Op. 24: No. 3. Go, Lovely Rose02:53
• PARRY (arr. Rathbone)
• 8Jerusalem (arr. J. Rathbone for voice and orchestra)02:55
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Long and Miller)
• 9O Waly Waly (arr. M. Long and R. Miller for voice and guitar)02:44
• BUTTERWORTH
• 106 Songs from A Shropshire Lad: No. 1. Loveliest of trees02:40
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Parry)
• 11Danny Boy (arr. B. Parry for voice and orchestra)04:08
• VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
• 124 Last Songs: No. 2. Tired02:18
• QUILTER
• 137 Elizabethan Lyrics, Op. 12: No. 1. Weep You No More02:29
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Parry)
• 14Greensleeves (arr. B. Parry for voice and orchestra)05:06
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Long and Miller)
• 15The Last Rose of Summer (arr. M. Long and R. Miller for voice and guitar)03:02
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Long and Miller)
• 16The Parting Glass (arr. M. Long and R. Miller for voice and guitar)03:25
• FINZI
• 17No. 4. Only the Wanderer01:45
• FINZI
• 18No. 3. As I lay in the Early Sun02:10
• ELGAR
• 19Speak, Music, Op. 41, No. 2 (arr. for voice and orchestra)03:05
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Long and Miller)
• 20Auld Lang Syne (arr. M. Long and R. Miller for voice and guitar)02:21
• VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (arr. Parry)
• 21Orpheus with his Lute (arr. B. Parry for voice and orchestra)02:59
• TRADITIONAL (arr. Long and Miller)
• 22The Turtle Dove (arr. M. Long and R. Miller for voice and guitar)02:51
• Total Runtime01:04:44

Info for Till the Stars Fall

Till the Stars Fall is the debut solo album of British tenor, Matthew Long. Exquisite songs from the English song repertoire sit alongside the folk songs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in this refreshing portrayal of some of Britain and Ireland’s finest music. The varied accompaniment of guitar, piano and orchestra lead the listener on a journey through well known classics such as Jerusalem, Danny Boy, She moved through the Fair and Auld Lang Syne, taking in other lesser known songs on the way, including Holst’s The Thought; Vaughan Williams’ Tired from his Four Last Songs; and Finzi’s As I lay in the Early Sun from his collection Oh Fair to See.

“At the heart of this collection is what we might call ‘traditional music’. Music of the people. The songs I’ve chosen here demonstrate a rich heritage of music and story telling of which we can be proud. For Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi and the other English song composers featured here, the tunes and stories of the folk tradition were an integral part of their musical palette.

In working with guitar, piano and orchestra I wanted to reflect the different meanings we can all draw from this music: the intimate, the expressive, the patriotic. Rufus Miller gives fresh insight to the new arrangements of the traditional songs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Malcolm Martineau brings an incredible wealth of experience to the classical English Song repertoire. For the better known folk anthems, the London Philharmonic Orchestra provides an awe-inspiring backdrop.” (Matthew Long)

Matthew Long, tenor
Malcolm Martineau, piano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Rufus Miller, conductor

Matthew Long
29-year-old tenor Matthew Long gained his first professional experience singing in Italy’s opera houses as a boy treble. He was sought after as a soloist during this time, particularly for the music of Benjamin Britten and sang the role of ‘Miles’ in Britten’s opera The Turn of the Screw for productions at Teatro Reggio di Torino (1995), Teatro Comunale di Bologna (1996) and Teatro di Roma (1997). Success on the opera stage at a young age instilled in him a passion and ambition for singing that has gone on to shape his future.

Long studied music at the University of York and sang in the Choir of York Minster. After leaving university, he built a career in London as a consort singer, working with many of the professional ensembles based in the UK and further afield. During his early twenties he has been a member of the celebrated chamber choirs, The Sixteen and Tenebrae and also of the solo voice ensemble I Fagiolini. Projects with these groups and others have taken him all over the world.

In 2011, he won a scholarship to study for a masters in Vocal Performance at the Royal College of Music, London. Whilst at the RCM, he was a Susan Chilcott Scholar and a Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist.

Matthew Long has appeared as a soloist with many UK based ensembles, including The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The English Concert, The Hanover Band, The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He made his operatic debut in 2008, creating the role of Michael in Tod Machover’s opera, Skellig, with Northern Sinfonia at The Sage, Gateshead. Recent highlights have included Britten, War Requiem for Jonathan Willcocks in Salisbury Cathedral; Monteverdi, 1610 Vespers, at the Royal Albert Hall for the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain; a recording of David Matthews’ Vespers, with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and The Bach Choir with David Hill and the premiere performance of David Goode’s, Blitz requiem, at St Paul’s Cathedral, London with The Bach Choir. In February 2011 he worked at Dijon Opera in a production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. He sang the role of Jupiter in Handel’s Semele in June 2012 for the first ever performance of a Handel opera in Kuwait with the Ahmadi Music Group. He made his debut singing the Evangelist in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in Kristiansund, Norway in November 2011. In July 2012 Matthew made his Wigmore Hall debut as a soloist singing Tancredi in Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda for Harry Bicket with The English Concert.

Future plans include his US solo debut in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion for the Boston Handel and Haydn Society, an Australian tour with I Fagiolini this summer and a performance of the title role in Monteverdi’s Orfeo, in Venice this November.

Matthew lives in London with his wife and cat, Florence! When not singing he is a keen follower and supporter of wildlife conservation.

This album contains no booklet.