We had the opportunity to hear tenor Ian Bostridge in our country once more. Of course we didn't want to miss that! After the
benefit concert at Amuz he was a guest with Brad Mehldau at the Klarafestival and now he performed at De Bijloke in Gent with a unique programme of British art song.
Although he is – as far as I'm concerned – also virtually unmatched among tenors as a lieder singer for the romantic repertoire, as an authentic British singer this repertoire is literally made for him. The programme he presented in Gent immediately recalled his beautiful recording "The English Songbook" (piano Julius Drake) with composers such as Peter Warlock, Roger Quilter, Gerald Finzi, Ivor Gurney, Ralph Vaughan Williams and several others. And also a more recent recording "Requiem the pity of War" (piano Antonio Pappano) with George Butterworth and further German composers such as Kurt Weill, Gustav Mahler and Rudi Stephan). The title of the recital was indeed "Splendid Isolation" in which songs about sorrow and loss took centre stage. Especially songs from around the nineteen twenties of the last century. Feelings of hopelessness, despair and disappointed longing predominated.
Besides a selection from
Along the field and the better-known
On Wenlock Edge by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Bostridge performed songs by Peter Warlock and a long lament by Felix White:
The Nymph's Complaint for the Death of her Fawn ( 1922
) . A text by Andrew Marvell about the death of the nymph's favourite fawn killed by hunters. Bostridge clearly felt at home in the chosen repertoire. With his typical almost nonchalant yet at the same time self-assured spontaneity, he performed in absolute harmony with the chamber ensemble that was his ideal partner.
The somewhat wry, sometimes bitter timbre of his voice does nothing to hinder his suppleness. It is an aspect of his fascination as a singer and it perfectly emphasized the content of the songs, but it does not prevent him from making flawless transitions from high tonality to deep tones. The voice carries and remains intact. This recital once again proved what phenomenal voice control Bostridge possesses. Combined with the repertoire that suits him particularly well, the recital became a truly top experience.
© Jasmine Van Hevel
© Jasmine Van Hevel
The harmony with Oxalys was equally splendid. The ensemble set the programme in motion with a warm-up piece of
Seven Scottish Airs by Gustav Holst, before the more serious work began. In varying configurations it accompanied Bostridge in a subtle and poetic manner in each group of songs.
The Curlew by Peter Warlock to a text by W.B. Yeats was serenely introduced by the string quartet with flute (Toon Fret) and English horn (Piet Van Bockstal). In Felix White's long lament the harmony with Elisabeth Smalt, viola, Jean-Claude Van den Eynden, piano and Piet Van Bockstal, oboe was ideal. The two works by Ralph Vaughan Williams (texts by A.E. Housman) proved that Ian Bostridge is a singer who also feels at home as a musician in a chamber music setting.
A concert for which the hall at De Bijloke should have been packed. Unfortunately that was not the case, but those who were there can certainly consider themselves fortunate as musical connoisseurs.
WHAT : Splendid Isolation, Lieder Recital
WHO : Ian Bostridge, tenor and Oxalys
WHERE : De Bijloke Gent
WHEN : Saturday 29-4-2023
This concert can be heard on Saturday 6 May during Klara Life.
Besides a selection from Along the field and the better-known On Wenlock Edge by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Bostridge performed songs by Peter Warlock and a long lament by Felix White: The Nymph's Complaint for the Death of her Fawn (1922). A text by Andrew Marvell about the death of the nymph's favourite fawn killed by hunters. Bostridge clearly felt at home in the chosen repertoire. With his typical almost nonchalant yet at the same time self-assured spontaneity, he performed in absolute harmony with the chamber ensemble that was his ideal partner.
The somewhat wry, sometimes bitter timbre of his voice does nothing to hinder his suppleness. It is an aspect of his fascination as a singer and it perfectly emphasized the content of the songs, but it does not prevent him from making flawless transitions from high tonality to deep tones. The voice carries and remains intact. This recital once again proved what phenomenal voice control Bostridge possesses. Combined with the repertoire that suits him particularly well, the recital became a truly top experience.
