Leeds Lieder Younger Artists 2024

Metropolis Turned Right into a Tune by Jan Pospisil (music) and Nigel Karl Stone (phrases), carried out by Anton Kirchhoff (baritone) and Jou-an Chen (piano), was lyrical and tonal, starting unaccompanied with Kirchhoff displaying a positive lyric baritone. With a faint air of melancholy, it alternated between the extra pressing and reasonably inside, all with just a little trace of music theatre. The Poet by Kinna Whitehead (music) and Ian Parks (phrases), carried out by Cerys MacAllister (soprano) and André Bertoncini (piano), featured MacAllister nearly on a monotone, reasonably confiding, emotion recalled in quietness, with a rhythmic accompaniment that featured the pianist knocking, to placing if distracting impact.

She Walks the Blue and Yellow Lands by Glen Downie (music) and Christ Cambell (phrases), carried out by Deirunas Jasiulionis (tenor) and Fang-Lin Liu (piano), had vivid, quick sharp vocal phrases and spiky piano; because the tune developed, pressing vocal gestures punctuated the extra expansive piano half. Letter From Heaven by Goi Ywei Chern (music) and Yvonne Ugarte (phrases), carried out by Anusha Merrin (soprano) and Chunmeng Ge (piano), was one of the vital spectacular songs of the occasion. A second suspended in time, Merrin’s excessive soprano managed to venture a formidable variety of phrases. A concentrated efficiency creating one thing intense and evocative.

A lighthouse close to Holbeck by Rosemary Shapes Tickle (music) and Kristina Diprose (phrases), carried out by Elia Farreras Cabero (soprano) and Lucas Huber Sierra (piano), blended spare, edgy piano with a extra lyric, expressionist voice creating an intriguing sound world however elevating the suspicion that extra curiosity was within the piano with Shapes Tickle being over cautious within the vocal writing. The Birdman of Adel Woods by Huw Mears (music) and Susan Darlington (phrases), carried out by Felicitas Wrede (soprano) and Abhisri Chaudhuri (piano), was darkish an expressionist in tone, conjuring actual ambiance.

Richard’s Tune by Daybreak Walters (music) and Laura Strickland (phrases), carried out by Thomas McGowan (baritone) and Benjamin Collyer (piano), felt very mid-Twentieth century English, attractively lyric and well-written for voice with discreet but atmospheric piano writing, creating one thing touching. The Changeling Moss by David Palmer (music) and Lizzie Nolan (phrases), carried out by Laura Coppinger (soprano) accompanied by the composer, featured athletic, quasi-instrumental writing for the voice, impressively carried out by Coppinger. The very distinct ambiance of the piece mirrored the poem’s tone, however lacked the intriguing sense of irony Lizzie Nolan gave it when she learn the poem, additionally I used to be unclear whether or not Palmer had set all of the phrases that Nolan learn out to us.

With Cheer by Peter Cooper (music) and Hanna Stone (phrases), carried out by Biqing Zhang (soprano) and Yongqiu Yuan (piano), had expansive piano writing and a lyric but reasonably wandering vocal line, and the sensation the composer was attempting to cram too many phrases in. Life Lesson by Emilie Speaight (music) and Abbi Senior (phrases), carried out by Aksel Ryvkin (baritone) and André Bertoncini (piano), had an actual dance sense within the piano, however Speaight’s music tantalised, by no means fairly settling in a detailed kind but evoking ambiance. Right here music and phrases had been in full concord.

This was a formidable achievement, ten composers responding to the problem of latest poems, and younger performers giving the songs their voice. It’s price taking into consideration that not all of the singers had been Anglophone but all labored towards that magic marriage of phrases and music that’s tune.

At lunchtime on Friday 19 April 2024, the Younger Artists bought their likelihood to carry out their very own choice of tune on the Howard Meeting Room. Aksel Ryvkin (baritone) and Zany Denyer (piano) started with two Schubert songs; Der Wanderer an den Mond, stuffed with swagger and melancolia with nice works, and Die Mutter Erde, critical and intense with a stunning, well-supported line. Then Felicitas Wrede (soprano) and Abhisri Chaudhuri (piano) took us to France, with an intense account of Debussy’s Beau Soir with a stunning sense fragility in tone, adopted by the primary three of Ravel’s Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques. The primary suprisingly sober and intent however with a vibrant vibrato colouring the tone, the second plangent and the third splendidly vivid. Wrede actually invested within the songs, inhabiting the efficiency area.

Anusha Merrin (soprano) and Chunmeng Ge (piano) continued with extra Debussy and his modern Amy Seashore (she was simply six yr youthful). Debussy’s Nuit d’etoiles was poised but subdued, although I appreciated Merrin’s beautiful youthful-sounding lyric soprano. She was maybe a bit younger to convey of the world-weariness of Seashore’s Ah Love, however a day however there have been some spectacular massive passions too. Laura Coppinger (soprano) and David Palmer (piano) gave is a reasonably more difficult distinction. They started with Oliver Knussen’s Walt Whitman setting, The Dalliance of Eagles, difficult certainly with its athletic vocal writing, nearly instrumental in model. This was drama, vibrantly achieved with vivid piano accompaniment, although phrases had been very a lot at a premium right here. In full distinction, got here a delicate account of Frank Bridge’s Come to me in my goals, touching and concentrated.

Deirunas Jasiulionis (tenor) and Fang-Lin Liu (piano) gave us two songs from Robert Schumann’s Myrthen. Freisinn was stuffed with swagger and vigour with admirably agency piano accompaniment, then Zum Schluss was lyrical. Jasiulionis has fairly an intense voice, and I questioned whether or not he may need been higher served by extra vividly Twentieth century music.  Elia Farreras Cabero (soprano) and Lucas Huber Sierra (piano) paired Schumann with Wolf. First, Wolf’s Mignon I (Don’t bid me communicate) carried out with concentrated focus and actual depth plus a positive focus on the phrases. Then Schumann’s Auf dem See with a pleasant sense of freedom to it and a sense of actual identification with the tune.

Anton Kirchhoff (baritone) and Jou-an Chen (piano) moved from Debussy to Poulenc to Grieg. First, Debussy’s Romance: ‘L’âme évaporée’, all lyric melancholy with a stunning darkness to the tone, then Poulenc’s Le retour du Sergent, vividly achieved with nice character and eventually Grieg’s Ein Traum, fairly discreet at first however then he unleashed the facility and actually let rip. Cerys MacAllister (soprano) and André Bertoncini (piano) continued with Poulenc then moved to Mahler. First, Poulenc’s Deux Poemes de Louis Aragon; ‘C’ was fairly inside however offset with vibrant tone, while the chattering of ‘Fetes Galantges’ was vivid. Mahler’s Liebst du um Schoenheit was concentrated and significant, actually concerning the textual content.

Biqing Zhang (soprano) and Yongqiu Yuan (piano) started with Richard Strauss after which moved to Zhang’s native China. In Strauss’ Schlagenherzen, Zhang introduced actual allure and character to the tune, actually filling the stage together with her pleasant presence. Zhou Yi’s Chaitoufeng felt fairly French in model, flowing and touching with an elaborately ornamented vocal line. Lastly, Thomas McGowan (baritone) and Benjamin Collyer (piano) in Schubert and Warlock. McGowan introduced beautiful darkish tone to Schubert’s Nachtstück, concentrated and considerate, he actually inhabited the tune. Then a stunning swaggering account of Peter Warlock’s Yarmouth Honest, with McGowan relishing the story telling.

This was a formidable 90 minutes. Not each performer felt a pure on the recital stage, and you’re feeling that some will inhabit the operatic stage fairly naturally, however every performing duo actually introduced one thing of curiosity. A few of the repertoire selections felt a bit as if the performers’ selection was extra about what they felt they must current, and the perfect performances had been those that actually inhabited the fabric.