The programme featured mezzo-soprano Taylor Wilson, who recently featured in the opera ‘Life Stories‘. It began with Antony Brannick playing Beethoven’s piano sonata Op 10 no 3, which varied in moods from angry to hopeful. Taylor Wilson then sang two Beethoven songs, ‘in questa tomba oscura’ in which jealousy persists after death, and ‘L’amante impaziente’, in which a date does not turn up. For the next song, ‘Geistliches Wiegenlied’ she was joined by composer Tim Benjamin on viola. This song has a lovely melody, featuring part of a German carol, and in it Mary pleads for quiet so her baby can sleep.
Taylor Wilson’s lovely voice showed to advantage, as did her acting, so what would she have to show us in the second half?
She wowed us with modern music – first, three Kurt Weill songs, including the well known and seductive ‘September Song’. Antony Brannick then gave us an exquisite performance of Debussy’s ‘La fille aux cheveux de lin’ (Girl with the flaxen hair). Then we had two versions of Poulenc’s ‘Hotel’, the second of which caused a court case. Tom Lehrer’s ‘Masochism Tango’ was as bad taste as you could hope, and the concert ended with Gershwin’s ‘Can’t help lovin’ dat man’.
These friendly informal concerts might be a way in for people who are interested in classical music but feel they might not fit into the scene. For the date of the next one contact Antony: 01706 815712 or acb@wrigleycladontod.com.