LIONEL MONCKTON (1861–1924)

Songs from the shows

 

The Arcadians 1909

1 Charming weather CATHERINE BOTT, RICHARD SUART [2'35]

2 All down Piccadilly RICHARD SUART, CHORUS [2'49]

 

A Country Girl 1902

3 Under the deodar CATHERINE BOTT [2'53]

4 Yo ho, little girls, yo ho! RICHARD SUART, CHORUS [3'37]

5 Try again, Johnnie CATHERINE BOTT, CHORUS [2'42]

 

A Runaway Girl 1898

6 The sly cigarette CATHERINE BOTT, CHORUS [3'42]

7 The boy guessed right CATHERINE BOTT, CHORUS [4'12]

 

The Toreador 1901

8 When I marry Amelia RICHARD SUART, CHORUS [4'14]

9 Keep off the grass CATHERINE BOTT, CHORUS [3'44]

 

The Messenger Boy 1900

10 Maisie CATHERINE BOTT, CHORUS [6'05]

 

The Orchid 1903

11 Liza Ann CATHERINE BOTT, RICHARD SUART [3'43]

 

The Cingalee 1904

12 My cinnamon tree CATHERINE BOTT [3'31]

13 Pearl of sweet Ceylon RICHARD SUART, CHORUS [3'38]

 

The Circus Girl 1896

14 A simple little string CATHERINE BOTT, CHORUS [4'06]

 

The Shop Girl 1894

15 Beautiful bountiful Bertie RICHARD SUART, CHORUS [3'37]

 

The Mousmé 1911

16 The Temple Bell CATHERINE BOTT [3'16]

 

The Quaker Girl 1910

17 A bad boy and a good girl CATHERINE BOTT, RICHARD SUART [3'10]

18 The little grey bonnet CATHERINE BOTT [2'42]

19 Tony, from America CATHERINE BOTT [3'11]

 

The Girls of Gottenberg 1907

20 Two little sausages CATHERINE BOTT, RICHARD SUART [2'39]

 

Our Miss Gibbs 1909

21 Mary CATHERINE BOTT, CHORUS [3'19]

22 Moonstruck CATHERINE BOTT, CHORUS [3'22]

 

Total Duration: 77'31

 

Catherine Bott - soprano

Richard Suart - baritone

New London Light Opera Chorus

New London Orchestra / Ronald Corp

 

A programme of songs—romantic, swashbuckling, plain silly—from shows staged during the glory days of the Gaiety, Shaftesbury, Daly’s and Adelphi Theatres

 

Lionel Monckton was among the very finest British melodists, ranking as such with the likes of Arthur Sullivan, Eric Coates and Ivor Novello. His music encapsulates the gaiety of the Edwardian age, and it is our great loss that we hear so little of it these days. This new recording, with the New London Orchestra under Ronald Corp (a major authority on this music), is the perfect introduction to his charming songs and features soloists Catherine Bott and Richard Suart. Catherine Bott brings her sumptuous voice, cut-glass diction and delightful gifts of characterisation to the service of these songs. Formerly better-known as an early music specialist, her cabaret entertainment London Pride (Hyperion CDA67457) proved her to be an ideal performer of Monckton’s music. Richard Suart is the master of the patter song and simply one of the greatest G&S interpreters in the world.

 

Hyperion CDA67654