Lunchtime Concert: A Celebration of European Song with vocalists and colleagues from the Andy Armistead Vocal Class
THU 26 JAN, 13.05
Pre-concert talk: 12.30
Enhance your concert experience and hear enlightening insights into the composers and music in the performance that lies ahead.
A recital of songs by members of the Andy Armistead Vocal Class, presented by Professor Christopher Underwood, accompanied by staff pianist Paul Chilvers.
PROGRAMME
These short notes included beneath each piece in the programme, are intended to help communicate, with our audience, the poetry of the songs, particularly those in languages other than English.
Ernest Chausson
Text by Charles Cros
Chanson perpétuelle
CHUNGKWAN SALOME SIU, mezzo-soprano
ANDREW LIDDELL, violin
PARIS RIZAS PINTZOPOULOS, violin
LAURA MOISEY-GRAY, viola
LILIANA DUMAIN GALAN, cello
LUCAS SARAIVA CUNHA, piano
In the surrounding forest, the abandoned lover pleads with all nature to convey to her beloved that she can no longer live without him. She resolves to let the stream carry her away, imagining that the entwining reeds are the tender embraces of her lover.
Meir Finkelstein
V'al Kulam
ALEXANDER BAKER
A hebrew prayer giving thanks to God (Adonai) for the gift of life, for the world around us, and for the light within each of our souls.
R. Schumann
Text by Adalbert von Chamisso
Frauenliebe Und Leben, Op.42
VI. Süsser Freund
HANNAH LEGGATT
In this song from
A Woman’s Love and Life we hear the tender moment of her declaration to her beloved, that it is his image that will look up to them both from the face of their newborn child.
Jonathan Dove
Three Tennyson Songs
II. Dark House
DOMINIC FELTS
Tennyson writes of his emotions as he gazes up at the house where his great friend, Arthur Hallam used to live.
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Text by Ursula Vaughan Williams
Four Last Songs
Tired
ANOUSKA STAHLMANN
Vaughan Willams sets his wife Ursula’s tender poem of love.
Richard Hageman
Text by Rabindranath Tagore
Do Not Go, My Love
ISABELLA ROBERTS
Henri Duparc
Text by Théophile Gautier
Au Pays Où Se Fait La Guerre
NEEHARIKA GOLLAPALLI
She has watched from her tower, as her lover leaves to go to the war. The sun sets, the moon rises, and dawn appears. Only the arrival of her page boy to light the lamps, gives her a moment of hope. She remains alone in her tower, resolutely awaiting her love’s return.
F. Poulenc
Text by Guillaume Apollinaire
Bleuet
HAROLD KERSLEY
Young French recruits were given the nickname, Cornflower -
bleuet - from the colour of their uniform. Yet the poet expresses his respect and admiration for someone so young who already has learned more about death than life.
J. Brahms
O Tod, Wie Bitter Bist Du
JOHANNES GERGES
The text from the Book of Ecclesiasticus reflects on the bitterness of death, but also its capacity to relieve the suffering of the needy and afflicted.
Vitesllava Kaprálová
Text by Viteslav Nezval
Sbohem a šáteček, Op.14 (Waving Farewell)
JULIET WALLACE
Waving Farewell is the title of this Czech song of acceptance of the ending of a relationship, with deep regret and lasting fondness.
S. Rachmaninov
Text by F. Tyutchek
Spring Waters
DARJA SCUKINA
A passionate welcome to Spring, as the rushing waters melt the deep snow.
E. Grieg
Text by Friedrich Bodenstadt
Ein Traum
EMILY BEECH
This short lyric takes us through the joy of a dream’s beginning, past the fears that may beset us, to the fulfilment of its true reality.
Alison Bauld
Text by William Shakespeare
Titania
MIRANDA OSTLER
Titania has a dream of quite a different nature! Is Shakespeare commenting on the potential self-delusion of love?
B. Britten
Text by Thomas Randolph
From A Charm Of Lullabies
A Charm
AMY KEARSLEY
An interesting style of parenting!
Gerald Finzi
Text by Thomas Hardy
Let Me Enjoy The Earth No Less
MIRIAM ENDERSBY
Finzi captures perfectly Thomas Hardy’s self-deprecating longings.
Michael Head
Text by Ruth Pitter
The Estuary
REBECCA HOWARD
One of the most inspiring of English songs to bring our programme to a close.
St Alfege Church, Greenwich
Admission Free, no booking required
