Beyond Boundaries takes us musically on a metaphorical journey into the Unknown. We start with an extraordinary and expansive piece by Elgar, from the home ground of an isolated cottage where he wrote his Piano Quintet in 1918, inspired by the legend surrounding a nearby copse of twisted trees. The first movement certainly sets a spooky scene which weaves it’s way throughout the work.
A Late Romantic work, the Quintet moves us from wistful sighs and ghostly waltzes to galumphing marches, plainsong and chorales. The emotional second movement is said to have something of ‘Nimrod’ in it.
Our journey continues through English art song as our protagonist tramps across land, dreaming of the promise of far-away places, and finally out towards the unfathomable depths of the open sea. But who knows what perils await him there…? Our song recital is performed by baritone James Newby, winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Award 2016 and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Rising Stars winner 2017-2018.
Edward Elgar Piano Quintet, Op.84Ralph Vaughan Williams Linden Lea
Ralph Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel Song Cycle
Ralph Vaughan Williams Silent Noon
John Ireland Sea Fever
Michael Head The Estuary
Frederick Keel Salt Water Ballads
£12 / £8 (under 18)
Katalin Kertesz violin ¦ Alison Boden violin ¦ George White viola ¦ Lorna Davis cello ¦ Liz Kozlowski piano ¦ James Newby baritone
Michael Church, The Independent
James enjoys a busy schedule as a recitalist; recent and future highlights include appearances at Leeds Lieder Festival with Joseph Middleton for BBC Radio 3, and a solo recital at the Wigmore Hall. He also recently sang in the Perth International Arts Festival, Australia, including a performance of Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin, and performed Schumann’s Dichterliebe in the Trinity Laban Schumann and Poulenc Project led by Eugene Asti for the Oxford Lieder Festival.
Earlier this season James sang the role of Mercurio in La Calisto with La Nuova Musica and David Bates, and made his BBC Proms debut in 2016 singing in Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music conducted by Sakari Oramo. James is a 2017 Jerwood Young Artist at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and will appear in La Traviata, Hamlet, La Clemenza di Tito and in Don Pasquale during the 2017 Festival.
James has appeared with many concert and choral societies throughout the UK in repertoire including Mendelssohn Elijah, Mozart Requiem, Haydn Nelson Mass, Bach St John Passion and B Minor Mass, Orff Carmina Burana, Handel Messiah, Rossini Petite Messe Solenelle and Fauré Requiem.
James has also been awarded the OAE Rising Stars prize for the 2017-2018 season, and will perform regularly with the Orchestra as soloist in programmes at the Southbank Centre, Kings Place and on tour, including the world premiere of Sally Beamish The Judas Passion. His operatic roles include the title roles in Eugene Onegin (Brent Opera) and Don Giovanni (Moon Little Opera), Papageno Die Zauberflöte (Suffolk Opera) and Guglielmo Così Fan Tutte (Everybody’s Theatre Company).