Music on a Saturday morning

Jun 6 2008 by Alister Y Allan

MEZZO soprano Rowan Hellier and Sholto Kynoch (piano) gave the final lunchtime recital at this year’s Festival of the Arts.

This form of recital has been a feature of the Festival in recent years and its popularity was clear by the excellent attendance.

The concert began with six of Grieg’s German songs.

In these, Rowan’s rich warm tone production was very evident and her control of breathing and dynamics very fine. The soaring quality of Grieg’s vocal line was beautifully realised. Sholto Kynoch was a supportive and musically responsive partner.

A link between Grieg’s songs and the next group was provided by the pianist who performed three pieces from "Phantasien" Op116, Capriccio in D Minor (No1), Intermezzo in E (No6) and Capriccio in D minor (No7).

Four Lieder from Wolf’s music matched the emotions expressed in the poems vividly. The vocal range is very wide and Rowan sang with great assurance in these late Romantic period songs, bringing out the subtle nuances with skill and building climaxes, both vocal and emotional, effortlessly in these challenging songs.

Sholto Kynoch articulated the chromatic harmonic elements in the accompaniment clearly contributing greatly to what was a well chosen group of Lieder.

If the Lieder of Wolf were challenging, the Chansons of the French composer Debussy are highly complex, as the singer and pianist have to come to terms with the vague harmonies and melodies of the Impressionist style.

"Chansons de Bilitis", a cycle of three, "La Flûte de Pan", "La Chevelure" and "Le Tombeau Des Naïades" tell of the maiden, Bilitis, seduced by Pan with some darker motive perhaps.

At times, the piano part seems to "go its own way" while the voice intones an ever fluctuating melody through the texture, producing that veiled transparency of the Impressionist era. Again, Rowan produced a warm sound, sustaining the sometimes languid phrases expressively while Sholto vividly expressed the pastoral nature of the poetry by sure pedal changes and articulation of the changes of texture and melody in his part. This was an impressive interpretation of difficult music.

The final item was "Cabaret Sings" by Britten, showing the composer in a more light-hearted mood.

"Tell Me the Truth About Love" was a humorous song, "Funeral Blues" had a macabre element, "Johnny" was a song which, on the surface was light hearted but had a sinister twist at the end and "Calypso" was just pure fun.

Rowan displayed a real feeling for the contrast in styles contained in these songs; her diction was excellent and her technique coped admirably with the wide range of expression demanded by the composer. Sholto supported with real panache as the "Cabaret " pianist.

This was an excellent concert, as we wish Rowan well as her career develops.