The Songs of Harold Fraser-Simson
On the 11th August 2023 we are releasing a recording of the songs of Harold Fraser-Simson (1872-1944). The English composer is best known for his light music and musical comedies. In his later career he set numerous children's poems to music, notably the works of
A. A. Milne and Lewis Carroll. This would be a complete recording of his Milne and Carroll songs - some of which will be the first time on record.
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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
Recording Information
We have recorded this album with seven professional singers and a pianist.
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