Listening to Janet Baker

Put the radio on last night and heard by chance a programme of recordings by the mezzo-soprano Janet Baker. Reminded of the cassette I bought many years ago that introduced me to her gorgeous voice. And my two favourite tracks: Villanelle from Les nuits d'été and especially Campion's Fain would I love: I think it was the first I'd heard of Campion and it still seems to me a remarkable poem and song (though nobody has sung it as movingly as Baker). Campion is still one of my favourites - I even used some of his poems as titles for a student assignment a couple of years ago (which they absolutely hated. Not the kind of poetry to appeal to today's trendy multimedia students!)

Fain would I wed a fair young man that day and night could please me,
When my mind or body grieved that had the power to ease me.
Maids are full of longing thoughts that breed a bloodless sickness,
And that, oft I hear men say, is only cured by quickness.

Oft I have been woo'd and prayed, but never could be moved ;
Many for a day or so I have most dearly loved,
But this foolish mind of mine straight loathes the thing resolved ;
If to love be sin in me that sin is soon absolved.

Sure I think I shall at last fly to some holy Order ;
When I once am settled there then can I fly no farther.
Yet I would not die a maid, because I had a mother :
As I was by one brought forth I would bring forth another.

Thomas Campion (1567-1620)

Listening now to that tape, I've heard in succession Baker singing Dowland's come again, the Campion, a wonderful Stanford setting of La belle dame sans merci which I had completely forgotten, and now Britten's Corpus Christi Carol. All totally haunting.