Proms Chamber Music 3 - 29.07.13: Britten Up-Close

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Monday 29 July
1.00pm – c. 2.00pm
Cadogan Hall

Britten
Canticle I 'My beloved is mine' (8 mins)
Britten
A Charm of Lullabies (13 mins)
Britten
Night Piece (Notturno) (5 mins)
Britten
Songs from the Chinese (10 mins)
Britten
Canticle II 'Abraham and Isaac' (16 mins)
Britten
Master Kilby (2 mins)

Christianne Stotijn mezzo-soprano
James Gilchrist tenor
Christoph Denoth guitar, Proms debut artist
Imogen Cooper piano

A sequence of bittersweet works by Benjamin Britten for the third Proms Chamber Music concert, performed by a starry line-up of musicians including pianist Imogen Cooper and tenor James Gilchrist. The programme includes Britten's unnerving story of absolute faith, Abraham and Isaac, and two song-cycles - A Charm of Lullabies and Songs from the Chinese - alongside the exquisite Night Piece (Notturno) for piano.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I know very few of these, but hope to give it a listen.

[rider789]

Had been looking forward to hearing Christianne Stotijn after her fine performance in Prom 8 (and I am a bit of a fan for some time), but she seems to have sunk without trace. Nice opportunity for Ruby Hughes though!

[edashtav]

I felt that the BBC caught James Gilchrist's lovely tenor voice perfectly. No doubt, the blissful acoustics of the Cadogan Hall helped. Throughout the recital , I was constantly delighted by the excellence of Gilchrist's diction and by his commanding technique. Nothing was force, everything was integrated into a seamless whole. His interpretations could be startlingly vivid as in the last Song from the Chinese. I enjoyed Ruby Hughes contributions , as well, but sometimes felt that whilst she has mastered a wide variety of vocal techniques and effects , sometimes her transitions from one timbre to another were a little rough-edged. That may be an unfair judgment as my expectations were raised by Gilchrist's magnificence. The best of Ruby was head in the final Canticle "Abraham & Isaac" where the two voices complemented each other in a most satisfying manner. Imogen Cooper provided insightful support on the piano as did Christian Denoth on guitar.

A winning recital.

[Mary Chambers]

I thought it was excellent, and I'm very fussy about Britten performances. At first, in My Beloved is Mine, I thought the piano was too loud, as it often is when played by pianists whose main career is not in the subtle art of accompaniment, but who can tell if that was the case in the hall? This was the only piece where I just couldn't eliminate the Pears/Britten recording from my mind.

I am familiar with all these pieces, but was quite startled by the intensity of the Abraham and Isaac performance. I was very impressed by Ruby Hughes in general. Her Charm of Lullabies, a favourite piece of mine, probably because I can sing it (not in public!), was very good indeed. Her voice has real character, which showed also in the duet with Gilchrist, Master Kilby - which Peter Pears sang as a solo.

Lovely to hear Night Piece, a truly beautiful piano solo that I don't think I've ever heard live, though I have the music somewhere.

[mercia]

available to watch for 7 days

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01dfvh5