The Complete Songs of A. A. Milne (and Lewis Carroll) by Harold Fraser-Simson
Available for the first time, all sixty-seven songs composed by Harold Fraser-Simson (1872-1944) to the famous poetry of A. A. Milne. 'When we were very young', 'Now we are six', 'Winnie the Pooh' and 'The House at Pooh Corner' are all represented on the album along with a complete recording of the pantomime 'The King’s Breakfast'. Also on the album are the collection of eight songs Fraser-Simson wrote using the words of Lewis Carroll from 'Alice in Wonderland'.
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This album spans well known settings ('Buckingham Palace', 'Halfway Down', 'Cottleston Pie' & 'Vespers') to unknown and previously unrecorded works. A wonderful nostalgia trip for those familiar with some of these songs from their youth and a brilliant album to listen along with children. Volante Opera Productions is proud to be able to release this comprehensive collection so that future generations will be able to listen to and enjoy a piece of British musical history that otherwise would be lost to time. Recorded by a team of seven singers (Julian Boyce, Simon Crosby Buttle, Helen Greenaway, Rosie Hay, Philip Lloyd-Evans, Francesca Saracino & Stephen Wells) and pianist Frederick Brown - all of whom appear by arrangement with Welsh National Opera.
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Performers
Frederick Brown (piano)
Julian Boyce (baritone)
Simon Crosby Buttle (tenor)
Helen Greenaway (mezzo)
Rosie Hay (soprano)
Philip Lloyd-Evans (baritone)
Francesca Saracino (mezzo)
Stephen Wells (bass)
Artists appear by arrangement with Welsh National Opera
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Credits
Recorded at The Vanguard Centre, Caerphilly, in January and May 2023
Recording Engineer: Stephen Wells
Audio Editing: Simon Crosby Buttle
Cover Artwork: KIMBO
Booklet design and layout: Simon Crosby Buttle & KIMBO
Album made possible thanks to a kind donation by June Buttle
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The Pieces
The songs of this recording were originally published in the following volumes:
Music by H. Fraser-Simson, words by A. A. Milne
Fourteen Songs from When we were very young (1924)
The King’s Breakfast (1925)
Teddy Bear & Other Songs from When we were very young (1926)
Now We Are Six (1927)
More Very Young Songs (1928)
The Hums of Pooh (1929)
Music by H. Fraser-Simson, words by Lewis Carroll
Songs from Alice in Wonderland (1932)
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As the original book were re-published in different anthologies there was never really a specific order in which to present the songs, so we have decided to adopt the order from the original poetry/story books.
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The Settings of A. A. Milne
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When We Were Very Young
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Buckingham Palace
Happiness
The Christening
Puppy and I
The Four Friends
Lines and Squares
Brownie
Independence
Nursery Chairs
Market Square
Daffodowndilly
Disobedience
Spring Morning
The Three Foxes
Politeness
Jonathan Jo
At the Zoo
Rice Pudding
Missing
Hoppity
Shoes and Stockings
Sand-Between-The-Toes
Knights and Ladies
Halfway Down
Before Tea
Teddy Bear
Bad Sir Brian Bottany
In the Fashion
The Alchemist
Growing Up
If I Were King
Vespers
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The King’s Breakfast
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Feed-My-Cow
The King’s Breakfast
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Winnie the Pooh
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Isn’t if Funny
How Sweet to be a Cloud
It’s very, very funny
Cottleston Pie
Lines Written by a Bear of Very Little Brain
Sing Ho! For the life of a Bear
They all went off to discover the Pole
3 Cheers for Pooh
Now We Are Six
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Sneezles
Binker
Cherry Stones
Us Two
The Engineer
Furry Bear
Forgiven
The Emperor’s Rhyme
Down by the Pond
The Friend
Twice Times
Cradle Song
Waiting at the Window
Wind on the Hill
In the Dark
The End
The House at Pooh Corner
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The more it snows…
What shall we do about poor little Tigger?
I could spend a happy morning…
Oh, the butterflies are flying…
If Rabbit was bigger…
This warm and sunny spot…
I lay on my chest…
Here lies a tree…
Christopher Robin is going…
The Settings of Lewis Carroll
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Songs from Alice in Wonderland
How doth the little crocodile
Fury said to a Mouse
You are old, Father William
Speak roughly to your little boy
Will you walk a little faster
‘Tis the voice of the Lobster
Beautiful Soup
They told me you had been to her