A small but appreciative audience gathered in the Mairie at St Antonin last night to hear a recital of songs and settings by some of the 20th century's finest French and British composers: Britten, Finzi, Ireland and Quilter setting Yeates, Hardy and Shakespeare for the anglophones; Faure, Ravel, Debussy, Saint-Saens and Massenet setting Louys and Leconte de Lisle entre autres in the language of Moliere.
Maybe it's just cultural, but this reviewer thinks the poems used by the British composers, who are perhaps best known for this art (Britten aside), were of a quality unmatched by the French and therefore easier to set and sing. And the French composers are best known for their instrumental compositions and chose more difficult texts.
Nevertheless Sally Bradshaw and Geof Cryer produced performances which were moving and lyrical and Genevieve Foccroulle accompanied them with her usual sympathetic unobtrusiveness.
We were treated to two "Causeries de mains" played by Genevieve in the presence of composer Michel Karsky. M Karsky, who lives in Caylus, explained to me that he wrote the pieces 60 years ago and was pleased to hear them played live again. Genevieve and Geof also played together a couple of pieces from Ravel's "Mother Goose" with evident humour and enjoyment.
A recital which was thoroughly enjoyed by those present, but we could almost have fitted the audience into Sally's music room. Perhaps the organisers need to look at the programming, timing and price when planning these concerts. It must be disappointing not to have a full house and many "melomanes" are missing out.
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