January 21st 2018
This week’s lunchtime recital featured performers who sing either in the School Choir or the Chamber Choir (in most cases both), so that the music was bound to be of a very high standard. The concert, with a programme spanning from Renaissance music to 20th century show songs, was opened by Henry Le Cornu (5f) with Quilter’s Come Away Death, who sang with great clarity and a soft tone which suited the melancholic feel of the piece. Following this Jordan Berry (Exhib.Mus U6a) gave a beautiful rendition of Mozart’s Dalla sua pace in which his seamless legato phrasing and attention to detail, with precise rhythmic efficiency, characterised the performance of this famous aria. A change from the Classical period to contemporary was brought by Edward Eve (4f) whose gentle voice, with an innate ability to sing lengthy phrases, well handled Lloyd Webber’s Learn to be Lonely. Another musical style was introduced when Alex Hobbs (Schol.Mus 4c) employed the use of subtle decoration in his well-paced performance which took us to the Renaissance period with Dowland’s Flow my tears.
The next piece, Schubert’s Der Doppelganger, began with foreboding piano chords followed by the confident singing of Charlie Barker (Exhib.Mus U6b). Through his excellent use of vibrato at the end of phrases, and perfect balance with the piano accompaniment, he achieved an atmospheric performance that captivated the audience. Peter Folkes (ATCL Schol.Mus U6a) gave an interesting explanation of the song which he was about to sing, and then conveyed the piece musically by deftly handling the fast staccato passages, demonstrating tactful singing and a perfect sense of timing and rhythm. The characteristic sound of Renaissance harmonies throughout Harry Vincent’s (Schol.Mus U6g) polished rendition of Dowland’s Weep You No More, Sad Fountains contained precise vocal entries and a demonstration of Harry’s impressive breath control in lengthy, sweeping phrases. Next Will Banks (Exhib.Mus L6b) sang Quilter’s Go, Lovely Rose. He skilfully covered a wide range, seemingly effortlessly, and this coupled with his rich tenor voice, led to a crowd-pleasing performance. Freddie Graham (ATCL Schol.Mus L6c) gave a performance of Bernstein’s Lonely Town which was well suited to the relaxed quality of his voice, and he showed a meaningful understanding of the style. Finally, Hori Byrne (Schol.Mus U6) greatly impressed with an incredible depth of stunning bass tone in his touching performance of Old Man River by Kern Hammerstein II. His voice resonated throughout the church with great warmth, providing a moving ending to this most enjoyable of recitals.
William Thorne (Schol.Mus U6e)
