Kitty Whately, Roderick Williams, William Vann
Release Date: 13 September 2019
Label: Albion Records
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 5060158190379
Description
The Song of Love - songs and duets by Ralph Vaughan Williams performed by mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately, baritone Roderick Williams and pianist William Vann, includes fifteen world-première recordings and one first modern recording, including six unpublished works. Songs include arrangements of older or traditional songs in both French and German, including the Huguenot Battle Psalm and a troubadour song from the end of the 12th century. There are Three Songs from Shakespeare (not to be confused with the part-songs entitled Three Shakespeare Songs), settings of two poems by the Irish poet Seumas O'Sullivan, and two duets from 1903.
On 2 December 1904 Vaughan Williams promoted his own works at an amazing concert in what is now the Wigmore Hall. Amongst other first performances, The House of Life (a setting of six sonnets by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, including the ever-popular Silent Noon) was premièred by a contralto, Edith Clegg, with Hamilton Harty at the piano. There are many recordings: but all are by tenors and baritones. On this album Kitty Whately has made the first 'female' recording of the complete cycle – beginning to redress the balance.
Kitty Whately trained at Chetham's School of Music, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and The Royal College of Music International Opera School. Kitty was a BBC New Generation Artist from 2013-15. She was the recipient of both the Kathleen Ferrier Award and the 59th Royal Overseas League Award in the same year. In 2017 Kitty released her second album, Nights not spent alone, to critical acclaim.
Roderick Williams OBE is one of the most sought-after baritones of his generation. Recent and future opera engagements include the title role in Eugene Onegin for Garsington, the title role in Billy Budd with Opera North and Papageno for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. His numerous recordings include Vaughan Williams, Berkeley and Britten operas for Chandos and an extensive repertoire of English song with pianist Iain Burnside for both Naxos and Albion Records.
Gramophone, reviewing Purer than Pearl, Albion Records' 2016 disc of Vaughan Williams song, reserved 'a special word of praise for William Vann's deft pianism'. A multiple-prize winning accompanist and conductor, William performs with a host of major singers and instrumentalists across the world. He is also the Director of Music at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea and the founder and Artistic Director of the London English Song Festival. On 3rd April 2019 he made his Royal Festival Hall debut conducting Hubert Parry's long-neglected oratorio Judith, which he has also recorded for Chandos Records.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"Outstandingly perceptive music-making" - Andrew Achenbach, Gramophone, December 2019
"Vaughan Williams' song cycle The House of Life was premiered in 1904 by a contralto but recordings of the set, which includes the popular Silent Noon, have been monopolized by men. English mezzo Kitty Whately's performance was worth the wait: smooth and beautiful tone, clarity of diction and a really individual approach to each song. Roderick Williams' firm and mellifluous baritone features on French and German songs amongst other rarities. William Vann's accompaniment is commendable here and on …" 5 STARS, Norman Stinchcomb
"This set is very well planned and performed: a good introduction for those wanting to delve deeper into Ralph Vaughan Williams and the sources of his inspiration." - Anne Ozorio, Opera Today, October 2019
Tracklisting
Tredegar Town Band, Ross Knight, Ian Porthouse, Martyn Brabbins
Alessandro Fisher, William Vann, The Navarra Quartet
Adrian Sims & Alan Rowlands
David Briggs
Chapel Choir Of The Royal Hospital, Joshua Ryan & William Vann
Timothy West, Samuel West, Mary Bevan, Sophie Bevan, Choir Of Clare College, Cambridge, Britten Sin
Various
David Welton & Iain Burnside
