Album

Lennox Berkeley's Ruth, along with Britten's Gloriana and Tippett's The Midsummer Marriage, make up the first postwar peak of English opera. In scale, Ruth is a chamber opera set in three scenes for five soloists, small mixed choir, and a reduced orchestra of two flutes, horn, percussion, piano, and 11 strings. In effect, Ruth is an intimate opera depicting the story of Ruth and Boaz from the Old Testament Book of Ruth. In this recording, Ruth is exquisitely wrought, marvelously beautiful, intensely lyrical, and deeply moving. Mezzo-soprano Jean Rigby is completely convincing in the title role, a young woman who in loyalty to her mother-in-law moves to a foreign country where she is treated with suspicion and disdain as an outsider. Tenor Mark Tucker is wholly persuasive in the role of Boaz, a rich widower who comes to love the lonely Ruth. Soprano Yvonne Kenny is utterly compelling as Naomi, a woman who has lost her husband and her sons and who returns to her homeland bereft of everything except the loyalty of Ruth. Conductor Richard Hickox leads the Joyful Company of Singers and the City of London Sinfonia in a seamless blend of drama and lyricism, of action and reflection, of fear and love. Chandos' sound in this the premiere recording of the work is nearly transparent. Anyone who loves postwar English opera will want to hear this disc.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Sir Lennox Berkeley Composer Ruth, opera in 3 scenes, Op.50 Work 1:18:37 Jean Rigby Mezzo-Soprano, Yvonne Kenny Soprano, City of London Sinfonia Orchestra, Joyful Company of Singers Chorus/Choir, Mark Tucker Tenor, Claire Rutter Soprano, Richard Hickox Conductor, Roderick Williams Baritone
1	Scene 1. A mountainous place near Bethlehem	1:57			$0.99
2	Scene 1. Once more I see your green and golden hills, O Judah!	3:05			$0.99
3	Scene 1. Turn back, my daughters	1:38			$0.99
4	Scene 1. Almighty Father, let my cry come unto thee!	3:13			$0.99
5	Scene 1. Ah, must I leave thee? Must we part?	3:23			$0.99
6	Scene 1. Whither thou goest, I will go	3:02			$0.99
7	Scene 1. See! Is this Naomi!	2:14			$0.99
8	Scene 1. Ah, call me not Naomi, let Mara be my name	2:32			$0.99
9	Scene 1. Where, ah , where is Naomi?	2:21			$0.99
10	Scene 2. A harvest field belonging to Boaz - Gold grows the barley on hillside and valley	1:45			$0.99
11	Scene 2. Greetings, men of Judah!	1:05			$0.99
12	Scene 2. The scatter'd ear of corn #1.	1:55			$0.99
13	Scene 2. Come, let us go forth together	3:23			$0.99
14	Scene 2. Stay, men of Judah!	2:17			$0.99
15	Scene 2. I had no wish to anger them	3:19			$0.99
16	Scene 2. Ah, let not anger fill your eyes!	3:05			$0.99
17	Scene 2. Whence cometh this to me, that thou should'st deign to notice me?	3:47			$0.99
18	Scene 2. The scatter'd ear of corn #2.	2:25			$0.99
19	Scene 3. A threshing-floor, at night - This is the place! Come, daughter	2:11			$0.99
20	Scene 3. Fear not, beloved Ruth	2:42			$0.99
21	Scene 3. Golden ripe the barley grows	1:11			$0.99
22	Scene 3. Lord of the Harvest, what are thy commands?	1:47			$0.99
23	Scene 3. Winter time is time to plough, aie, the wind does bite!	1:14			$0.99
24	Scene 3. Across the field the long slow line of reapers goes a-reaping	1:33			$0.99
25	Scene 3. Dance, come dance, dance within the ring	1:39			$0.99
26	Scene 3. O clap your hands, all ye people!	2:22			$0.99
27	Scene 3. Go now, my daughter	1:50			$0.99
28	Scene 3. Master!	1:42			$0.99
29	Scene 3. Thou comest in the stillness of the night	4:22			$0.99
30	Scene 3. Lo, my beloved, my soul's delight, to thee I give my hand	1:53			$0.99
31	Scene 3. Ho there, my people!	1:39			$0.99
32	Scene 3. Behold this maid	3:25			$0.99
33	Scene 3. Rejoice, O Israel, rejoice	2:41			$0.99