Mark Padmore and Britten Sinfonia

[ardcarp]

...at lunchtime on R3 today.

Vaughan-Williams: Ten Blake Songs
Jonathan Dove: The End (World Premiere Tour)
Warlock: The Curlew


I missed the VW alas but was bowled over by the rest. Could anyone but Mark Padmore do this so well? The Warlock is a most unusual, original and soulful piece and his voice seemed just perfect for it. The Dove was at times delivered with a complete absence of vibrato...very difficult to do on high notes, but achieved magnificently. And there was no sense of strain in the voice at any time. The Britten Sinfonia were fantastic too. Wonderful plangent sounds throughout..and no-one appeared to be directing; just excellent ensemble work.

[ardcarp]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/b01hq7vk

[Nick Armstrong]

NB: CD Review tomorrow

11.45am Disc of the Week:
Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings; Nocturne
Finzi: Dies Natalis
Mark Padmore (tenor)
Stephen Bell (horn)
Britten Sinfonia
director, Jacqueline Shave

[HighlandDougie]

11.45am Disc of the Week:
Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings; Nocturne
Finzi: Dies Natalis
Mark Padmore (tenor)
Stephen Bell (horn)
Britten Sinfonia
director, Jacqueline Shave

By sheer coincidence, listening to this when I looked at this thread. Beautiful singing, beautiful playing, great recording. Mark Padmore reminds me of Ian Partridge who is still my favourite "English" tenor. The Finzi is exceptionally lovely - and the perfect music for a spring evening. Now I must listen to the concert.

[ardcarp]

Looking forward to CD Review...if only I can escape from my noisy menage! And one has to expunge memories of Wilfred Brown and Peter Pears

[Tony Halstead]

And one has to expunge memories of Wilfred Brown and Peter Pears

not to mention maybe the finest UK 'lyric tenor' of the 1960s-1980s: GERALD ENGLISH who has been resident in Australia for maybe 30 -odd years.
if only he had recorded Finzi's 'Dies Natalis or indeed any of Britten's song cycles ( in particular the 'Serenade' or 'Les Illuminations')...

[rank_and_file]

I have never thought that much of Mark Padmore. In the Vaughan Williams he needed to control his vibrato and try and bring some warmth to the work - although that might be more VW’s fault for a pretty unmemorable work.

I will be interested to hear how he copes with Finzi’s Dies Natalis tomorrow, a work I know much better.

[ardcarp]

not to mention maybe the finest UK 'lyric tenor' of the 1960s-1980s: GERALD ENGLISH

Indeed, Waldhorn, he had such an easy and natural voice. He didn't seem to need to 'cover' his voice with artifice; the notes just came out easily! If you ever heard him do the Evangelist in the Matthew Passion (in English, no pun intended) it was the antithesis to Peter Pears...no strangulated throat and no overdone emotion, just a straight telling of the story. He disappeared from our music scene rather suddenly which was a shame. Is he still alive?

[gamba]

I am intrigued by the reference in the introduction to the 10 Blake Songs as having been composed for a BBC TV film. They were certainly composed specifically for Guy Brenton's film, ' The Vision of William Blake.'
I was involved in at least 90% of the filming & at no time do I remember any association with or help from the BBC. The money came from the Arts Council of Great Britain, the British Film Institute & the British Council.
I remember discussions we had about suitable music & his rather ' cheeky ' suggestion that he would approach RVW. Also a memorable occasion with him late one afternoon in the basement premises of my employers, Realist Film Unit. " I'm off to have dinner with Vaughan Williams " said he. " What ! you look like a tramp " said I, " you can't go like that." He was used to living on the proverbial ' shoestring ' as I knew well from my association with him. Anyway, I now feel I should claim a little towards his success, in getting Guy to look a little more respectable & possibly helping to get the great man ' on board ' !

[Simon Biazeck]

Is he still alive?

He is indeed! He was one of my singing teachers in Melbourne!

[Mary Chambers]

I heard Padmore's recording of the Serenade on Radio 3 this morning. Mark Padmore is a singer I admire but don't warm to - I don't feel involved, whether live or on disc. I thought on this recording he sounded much of the time rather too careful, and the words didn't always flow as they should. He made a very good job of the final Sonnet, though. Good horn, and nice balance between voice and orchestra. I quite enjoyed it, but I wouldn't buy it.

[Simon Biazeck]

I heard Padmore's recording of the Serenade on Radio 3 this morning. Mark Padmore is a singer I admire but don't warm to - I don't feel involved, whether live or on disc. I thought on this recording he sounded much of the time rather too careful, and the words didn't always flow as they should. He made a very good job of the final Sonnet, though. Good horn, and nice balance between voice and orchestra. I quite enjoyed it, but I wouldn't buy it.

I quite agree!

[gamba]

By sheer coincidence, listening to this when I looked at this thread. Beautiful singing, beautiful playing, great recording. Mark Padmore reminds me of Ian Partridge who is still my favourite "English" tenor. The Finzi is exceptionally lovely - and the perfect music for a spring evening. Now I must listen to the concert.

I too have a very special regard for Ian Partridge, especially when involved in ' baroque ' mode.

[rank_and_file]

I quite enjoyed Padmore’s singing of the Britten “Serenade” this morning. Much more responsive to the poetry and tenor requirement in a far better work.

It’s quite a contested field now with Bostridge and Christoph Pregardien’s versions (both preferable in my view), Anthony Rolfe Johnson and Pears - the latter showing all the others what diction really means - but a singer I have never taken to.

[ardcarp]

I quite enjoyed Padmore’s singing of the Britten “Serenade” this morning. Much more responsive to the poetry and tenor requirement in a far better work.

I very much enjoyed it. There were shades of Pears to my ears...conscious or otherwise? Instrumentally (including the horn) I thought it was a magnificent performance, and it's on my Christmas list.

He [Gerald English] is indeed! He was one of my singing teachers in Melbourne!

Glad to hear it! If you're still in touch, tell him how much I enjoyed his Matthew Passion in Coventry Cathedral in the mid-60s.