Northern Ireland Opera Festival Of Voice 2017 [Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert]

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Gavan Ring, Toby Spence, Jennifer Johnston

20171205

20190115 (R3)

John Toal presents a series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm, Co Antrim. Irish baritone Gavan Ring is joined by pianist Simon Lepper in a performance of Vaughan Williams' 'Songs of Travel', based on the words of Robert Louis Stevenson. Pianist Joseph Middleton performs alongside tenor Toby Spence with Benjamin Britten's 'On This Island', music set to the words of the poet, and one of the composer's collaborators, WH Auden. And rounding off today's recital, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston performs Vaughan Williams' 'Four Last Songs', accompanied by pianist Joseph Middleton. This was some of the last music Vaughan Williams wrote, with texts by his wife Ursula, and was first performed in 1959.

Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel

Gavan Ring (baritone), Simon Lepper (piano)

Benjamin Britten: On This Island Op. 11

Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano)

Vaughan-Williams: Four Last Songs

Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano).

Chamber music performances from the NI Opera Festival of Voice 2017 at Glenarm, Co. Antrim

Toby Spence, Jennifer Johnston

20171206

20190116 (R3)

John Toal presents a series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm, Co Antrim. Today we have performances from tenor Tony Spence, accompanied by pianist Joseph Middleton with Finzi's 'Till Earth Outwears the Rain' - based on the words of Thomas Hardy and written over the course of three decades from the late 1920s to the mid 1950s, and Benjamin Britten's 'Michelangelo Sonnets' - originally written for Britten's partner, the tenor Peter Pears, and described as 'an open declaration of their love for each other.' And mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston also joins Joseph Middleton to perform Britten's 'A Charm of Lullabies', a song-cycle of 5 poems by various authors including William Blake and Robbie Burns. Completing today's recital, Toby Spence returns with music this time arranged by Britten, Purcell's 'Music for a While'.

Finzi: 'Till Earth Outwears the Rain, Op. 19

Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano)

Britten: A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41

Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano)

Britten: Michelangelo Sonnets, Op. 22

Purcell (arr. Britten): Music for a While

Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano).

Chamber music performances from the NI Opera Festival of Voice 2017 at Glenarm, Co. Antrim

Jennifer Johnston, Gavan Ring

20171207

20190117 (R3)

John Toal presents a series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm, Co Antrim. In today's recital, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston and pianist Joseph Middleton perform a selection of songs by Benjamin Britten, including Scottish folk songs with words by Robbie Burns and 'Down by the Salley Gardens', set to words by the Irish poet WB Yeats. Baritone Gavan Ring is joined by pianist Simon Lepper to perform three songs by the Irish composer John Larchet, who died 50 years ago this year. Then Jennifer Johnston returns with Elgar's 'Sea Pictures', originally written by the composer for orchestra and later arranged for piano, it's a song-cycle of poems by five different poets inspired by the sea. And completing the programme, an encore by Jennifer - Britten's 'I Wonder as I Wander'.

Britten: 5 songs

At the Mid Hour of Night

Ca' the Yowes

O Can Ye Sew Cushions

The Last Rose of Summer

Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano)

John Larchet: 3 songs

Padraic the Fiddler

The Cormorant

The Philosophy of Love

Gavan Ring (baritone), Simon Lepper (piano)

Elgar: Sea Pictures, Op. 37

Britten: I Wonder as I Wander

Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano).

Chamber music performances from the NI Opera Festival of Voice 2017 at Glenarm, Co. Antrim

Toby Spence, Jennifer Johnston, Gavan Ring

20171208

20190118 (R3)

John Toal presents the last in our series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St. Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm. In this final Lunchtime Concert from the series, tenor Tony Spence performs Poulenc's 'Tel jour telle nuit' - one of the composer's most important song-cycles and written in 1937, performed with pianist Simon Lepper. Pianist Joseph Middleton returns with mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston for a piece by Purcell, his 'Evening Hymn', first published in 1688. And to complete this week's series, Irish baritone Gavan Ring sings Schumann's 'Dichterliebe', a song-cycle around the theme of unrequited love.

Poulenc: Tel jour telle nuit

Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano)

Purcell: An Evening Hymn

Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano)

Schumann: Dichterliebe, Op. 48

Gavan Ring (baritone), Simon Lepper (piano).

Chamber music performances from the NI Opera Festival of Voice 2017 at Glenarm, Co Antrim.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Gavan Ring, Toby Spence, Jennifer Johnston	20171205	20190115 (R3)	John Toal presents a series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm, Co Antrim. Irish baritone Gavan Ring is joined by pianist Simon Lepper in a performance of Vaughan Williams' 'Songs of Travel', based on the words of Robert Louis Stevenson. Pianist Joseph Middleton performs alongside tenor Toby Spence with Benjamin Britten's 'On This Island', music set to the words of the poet, and one of the composer's collaborators, WH Auden. And rounding off today's recital, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston performs Vaughan Williams' 'Four Last Songs', accompanied by pianist Joseph Middleton. This was some of the last music Vaughan Williams wrote, with texts by his wife Ursula, and was first performed in 1959. Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel Gavan Ring (baritone), Simon Lepper (piano) Benjamin Britten: On This Island Op. 11 Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano) Vaughan-Williams: Four Last Songs Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano). Chamber music performances from the NI Opera Festival of Voice 2017 at Glenarm, Co. Antrim
02	Toby Spence, Jennifer Johnston	20171206	20190116 (R3)	John Toal presents a series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm, Co Antrim. Today we have performances from tenor Tony Spence, accompanied by pianist Joseph Middleton with Finzi's 'Till Earth Outwears the Rain' - based on the words of Thomas Hardy and written over the course of three decades from the late 1920s to the mid 1950s, and Benjamin Britten's 'Michelangelo Sonnets' - originally written for Britten's partner, the tenor Peter Pears, and described as 'an open declaration of their love for each other.' And mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston also joins Joseph Middleton to perform Britten's 'A Charm of Lullabies', a song-cycle of 5 poems by various authors including William Blake and Robbie Burns. Completing today's recital, Toby Spence returns with music this time arranged by Britten, Purcell's 'Music for a While'. Finzi: 'Till Earth Outwears the Rain, Op. 19 Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano) Britten: A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41 Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano) Britten: Michelangelo Sonnets, Op. 22 Purcell (arr. Britten): Music for a While Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano). Chamber music performances from the NI Opera Festival of Voice 2017 at Glenarm, Co. Antrim
03	Jennifer Johnston, Gavan Ring	20171207	20190117 (R3)	John Toal presents a series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm, Co Antrim. In today's recital, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston and pianist Joseph Middleton perform a selection of songs by Benjamin Britten, including Scottish folk songs with words by Robbie Burns and 'Down by the Salley Gardens', set to words by the Irish poet WB Yeats. Baritone Gavan Ring is joined by pianist Simon Lepper to perform three songs by the Irish composer John Larchet, who died 50 years ago this year. Then Jennifer Johnston returns with Elgar's 'Sea Pictures', originally written by the composer for orchestra and later arranged for piano, it's a song-cycle of poems by five different poets inspired by the sea. And completing the programme, an encore by Jennifer - Britten's 'I Wonder as I Wander'. Britten: 5 songs At the Mid Hour of Night Ca' the Yowes O Can Ye Sew Cushions The Last Rose of Summer Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano) John Larchet: 3 songs Padraic the Fiddler The Cormorant The Philosophy of Love Gavan Ring (baritone), Simon Lepper (piano) Elgar: Sea Pictures, Op. 37 Britten: I Wonder as I Wander Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano). Chamber music performances from the NI Opera Festival of Voice 2017 at Glenarm, Co. Antrim
04	Toby Spence, Jennifer Johnston, Gavan Ring	20171208	20190118 (R3)	John Toal presents the last in our series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St. Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm. In this final Lunchtime Concert from the series, tenor Tony Spence performs Poulenc's 'Tel jour telle nuit' - one of the composer's most important song-cycles and written in 1937, performed with pianist Simon Lepper. Pianist Joseph Middleton returns with mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston for a piece by Purcell, his 'Evening Hymn', first published in 1688. And to complete this week's series, Irish baritone Gavan Ring sings Schumann's 'Dichterliebe', a song-cycle around the theme of unrequited love. Poulenc: Tel jour telle nuit Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano) Purcell: An Evening Hymn Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano) Schumann: Dichterliebe, Op. 48 Gavan Ring (baritone), Simon Lepper (piano). Chamber music performances from the NI Opera Festival of Voice 2017 at Glenarm, Co Antrim.