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VOCAL RECITAL - ELIZABETH TOYE
16 May 2013
with thanks to Josephine Crabb, photo by Malcolm Stork
The
Holy Trinity Church in Cookham, first constructed by the Normans in
1140 AD, provided the backdrop for the accomplished performance by
soprano Elisabeth Croft at the 2013 Cookham Festival. Elisabeth, a
graduate of the Royal Academy of Music was accompanied in the first
half on the piano by Josef Janik (also a graduate of the Royal
Academy who studied initially at
Zilina Conservatiore).
Each
note and phrase was beautifully produced by the artist as the
audience was carried along on a series of moods throughout the
evening commencing with Four Songs (Op. 2) by Arnold Schoenberg
written in 1899 with notable stirring cadences in ‘Erhebung’
(Elevation), and a sparkling rendition of ‘Waldsonne’ (Sun in
the Forest).
An
audience is further engaged when an artist reveals something about
themselves and Elisabeth mentioned that Mahler was always a
favourite composer of hers and dedicated Mahler’s Four Ruckert
Lieder to one of her singing teachers who had just passed away.
‘Um Mitternacht’ (At midnight) was sung with solitary beauty and
faith.
On
this Island, a set of five songs by Benjamin Britten based on a book
of poems by W.H. Auden which Britten set to music in 1937 continued
the journey to more modern times with the never expected
phraseology. The lapping sound of the ‘Seascape’ contrasts with
the final flourish ‘As it is plenty’ and Cookham Festival’s
Director of Classical Music, Malcolm Stork remarked this to be
‘approachable Britten’.
Elisabeth
joked after the interval that she had not changed her costume,
“just her accompanist” and introduced Michael L. Roberts who
played his own composition ‘The Avocatus Suite: Part I’, which
he wrote especially for Elisabeth, and which received its premiere
in London in 2010.
Here
we listened to the artist’s firm diction while exploring ‘The
Last Corridor’; enquiring after the ‘Deserted Star’; feeling
restless like the ‘Butterfly’ and the lilting ‘Avocatus’
bringing the haunting experience of the late night torch song.
Elisabeth’s encore was a Welsh Lullaby, a family favourite, and just the music to send us on our way home to reflect on this exhilarating evening.
Accompanist Michael L. Robertsand Elisabeth Croft (née Toye), Soprano
