One of the deepest roots in European culture lies in Shakespeare. His penetration into the Mystery of Man and the language in which it is realised has made him immortal and has stirred the creativity of many during the last five centuries. Small wonder than that composers from Purcell to Verdi, from Elgar to Britten and Finzi have taken inspiration from him and have set some of his works to their own liking. Somewhere in the world to this day, in a major house, Verdi’s Othello or Falstaff is being presented, if singers good enough have been found able to do justice to these two master works: but the programme for this summer concert devised by Donald Judge, the composer-conductor of the Bollington Festival Choir, focused on songs and choruses suitable for a chamber recital, and was offered as a tribute to Shakespeare in this centenary year. And so a wealth of singing from the choir and its soloists, accompanied by the piano alone met the audience. With more than twenty-five items included, the range was wide. Starting with Arne, Lindley and Purcell, on to Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Britten and Finzi, it brought even Haydn and Poulenc – and of course, one song from Schubert. From such a plenitude came a very fresh and a very delightful performance.
The choir was in dulcet voice. Their tone and sensitivity was well adjusted to the words and music of such a programme. There was a warm ease and gentleness there, and a youthful joy as in the Vaughan Williams Cantata In Windsor Forest. They were alert to the difficulties in some pieces. Unusual harmonies and rhythms, even passages of very high notes were all achieved without any strain but with confidence. A special word must be said about their soloists. From the high soprano of Lynne Froggatt in When daisies pied to the high purity of Dot Graham and the welcome voices of Olwyn Bloor and Mary Halloran, these and all the soloists gave much pleasure. But to take just one, something could be said that could apply to them all, male or female and to those not mentioned. For this writer, it was the voice of Mike Bell. A light bass, he sang the An Silvia of Schubert. Here was a voice entirely natural, unforced, unselfconscious and reaching note high or low with easy grace and control. For this writer it expressed the unadorned beauty of Schubert with all the simplicity and quiet depth of true feeling that could have been part of a Schubertiad with the composer at the piano. This account of the An Silvia was lovely – exactly right. All the soloists sang with this same understanding and sensitive expression. The piano accompaniment too was of a piece with this special moment, in a recital full of such moments.
The piano accompaniment for the whole recital of two hours was in the hands of Rosalind Hall. This gifted pianist was fully alive to the individual needs of each piece, giving a firm touch in style and timing on which the singers, solo or choir, could rely. Here was a very expressive part of the whole, and an impressive performance in her own right.
The whole was linked by a narrative written by Donald Judge that set the works against their background and kept the listener moving forward. His erudition and individuality could be seen in his personal choice of the items – which songs, which choruses, and which composers?. A straight read through the programme showed this. It was also very welcome to hear his own voice raised among the soloists. May that happen again.
The concert was very much his own hard work. His gifts of musicianship and scholarship are apparent in all his recitals and he is much admired. He can bring out the best in his singers. One can say with the words of Shakespeare that he was the onlie begetter in creating this delightful evening.
JH