Peter Medhurst

At the turn of the 20th century, the world of music – still so sharply focused on the German tradition with its wondrous art form, the Lied – hardly noticed that in England the parlour song had turned itself from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.  Inspired not only by traditional English poetry, but also by fine contemporary verse, composers such as Parry, Somervell, Butterworth, and later, Ireland, Gurney and Warlock, gradually found their individual voices, imbuing English song with a distinctive artistic and musical identity.  This recital reflects the wide range of musical expression available during the period and cherry picks some outstanding English musical miniatures.

PROGRAMME

Love’s Philosophy – R Quilter, The Floral Dance – K Moss, Bright is the Ring of Words – R Vaughan Williams, Who is Sylvia – M Horder, The Lads in their hundreds – A Somervell, The Boat is Chafing – I Gurney, Walking the Woods – P Warlock, The Birthday – M Williamson, Go Lovely Rose – M Williamson, The Sally Gardens – I Gurney, When I was One-and-twenty – C Armstrong Gibbs, Song of Shadows – C Armstrong Gibbs, Whither must I Wander – R Vaughan Williams, The Night – P Warlock, Sleep – H Parry, Crossing the Bar – M Williamson

C Armstrong Gibbs – At a Bierside sung and played by Peter Medhurst

Roger Quilter – Love’s Philosophy sung and played by Peter Medhurst