大象传媒

John Toal presents a series of recitals from Northern Ireland Opera's Festival of Voice 2017, recorded at St Patrick's Church of Ireland in Glenarm, Co Antrim. Today we have performances from tenor Tony Spence, accompanied by pianist Joseph Middleton with Finzi's "'Till Earth Outwears the Rain" - based on the words of Thomas Hardy and written over the course of three decades from the late 1920s to the mid 1950s, and Benjamin Britten's "Michelangelo Sonnets" - originally written for Britten's partner, the tenor Peter Pears, and described as "an open declaration of their love for each other." And mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston also joins Joseph Middleton to perform Britten's "A Charm of Lullabies", a song-cycle of 5 poems by various authors including William Blake and Robbie Burns. Completing today's recital, Toby Spence returns with music this time arranged by Britten, Purcell's "Music for a While".

Finzi: 'Till Earth Outwears the Rain, Op. 19
Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano)

Britten: A Charm of Lullabies, Op. 41
Jennifer Johnston (mezzo-soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano)

Britten: Michelangelo Sonnets, Op. 22
Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano)

Purcell (arr. Britten): Music for a While
Toby Spence (tenor), Joseph Middleton (piano).