Echoes of a Mountain Song in Manchester

By Imogen Phoebe Webb, 01 April 2016

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Reviewed at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester on 30 March 2016

Vaughan Williams, Four Last Songs: Tired

Butterworth, Six Songs from A Shropshire Lad

Butterworth, Traditional songs Gan ti the Kye, O I hae seen the roses blaw, Rap er te bank, Elsie Marley, Dance ti the Daddy

Edward, Songs

Penn, Songs

Coates, Birdsongs at Eventide

Ireland, The Bells of San Marie

Ireland, Sea Fever

Head, Songs

Sir Thomas Allen, Baritone

Joseph Middleton, Piano

A soul-shaking Winterreise from Mark Padmore and Joseph Middleton

Simon Thompson, 27th June

This year's East Neuk Festival features all three of Schubert's song cycles, but this Winterreise was the one that gripped the heart.

*****

An evening of song from La Belle Époque with Veronique Gens

Simon Thompson, 10th September

One of the Lammermuir Festival's miniature miracles: Véronique Gens and Joseph Middleton present an evening of French chansons in the East Lothian countryside.

****1

The Other Eden: superb recital of English song at Leeds Lieder

Timothy Robson, 27th March

Kitty Whately’s parents, Kevin Whately and Madelaine Newton, joined the mezzo and pianist Joseph Middleton, reading poetry to illuminate the themes of the song groups.

****1

Ravel's friends and rivals at Wigmore Hall

Kevin W Ng, 15th September

Mary Bevan’s bewitching soprano is the star of a glorious programme of music by Ravel and his contemporaries.

***11

Lullabies and dreams from Connolly and Middleton

Nick Boston, 6th August

The perfect invitation to daydream on a hot afternoon.

*****

A class act at Brighton Festival

Louise Flind, 11th May

A packed recital given by mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly at Brighton Festival.

****1

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Imogen Phoebe Webb

Imogen graduated with distinction in Contemporary Curating from Manchester School of Art, taking a particular interest in sound art. She read History of Art and Music at the University of Glasgow, receiving a prize for excellence in Performance, and enjoys a wide range of arts. She began studying voice with Patricia MacMahon in 2012, and covered 'Eve' in Scottish Opera Connect’s 2015 production of Dove’s The Walk from the Garden. In recent years she has studied with Susan Roper and Alison McGillivray, sung and performed on Baroque ‘cello and viol with Glasgow and Manchester-based ensembles.

Sir Thomas Allen and Joseph Middleton: Echoes of a Mountain Song