Song Cycles Performed At Museum Hall

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31375, 22 May 1967, Page 15

Song Cycles Performed At Museum Hall

Yvonne Stables and Elaine Lethbridge were the singers at the Freude der Musik recital in the Museum Hall on Saturday evening. Christopher Gray was the accompanist Miss Stables began with four songs by Schubert In “Seligheit” and in “La Pastorella” her tone sounded somewhat forced and had a metallic sound, detracting from the happy simplicity of the songs. In Suleika’s two songs, poems by Goethe, she had come to terms with the acoustic qualities of the hall and sang with greater freedom and flow.

Her singing of Ravel’s “Scheherezade” song cycle was impressive and she showed lively and penetrating insight Her tone had vivid colours and was produced with clear delineation and with well-rounded and dramatic quality. Her support for her singing was excellent, and it gave her technical flexibility well suited to her imaginative interpretations. She managed to create pictures, from this impression-

istic music, for her audience, and did so with deft strokes never stepping beyond what good sense and good taste would dictate, but always keeping everything brightly in focus and full of vitality. The poise with which she sang this difficult work showed excellent preparation in technique and in interpretation. Elaine Lethbridge sang Schumann’s “A Woman’s Life and Love” cycle with a sympathetic understanding that held the interest. It is annoying to have the audience applaud between the songs in such a cycle where there is sensitively poised balance of atmospheres and where each song offers contrast to its neighbours and all progress together towards a dramatic climax.

Mrs Lethbridge sang with tone which was deeply attractive and was under admirably smooth control. Her wide command of expression was never used to the detriment of quality of sound or of sensibility of feeling, and all her work showed firm confidence and understanding. As the songs demanded, she showed humility, expectation, wonderment, reflection, ecstatic happiness, and finally a searing grief. All these came through with moving sincerity. It seemed sometimes that Mrs Lethbridge was introducing something of the idea of foreboding into the earlier part of the cycle. This can happen if the contemplative nature of the work comes a little too much to the fore.

However, the bright and joyous songs restored the balance and enabled the last song to make its full effect. In a group of songs by Hugo Wolf, Mrs Lethbridge built up the phrases with excellent sense of shaping, and she sustained warm and even tonal colourings well suited to many differing emotional circumstances. This was singing that went well below the surface and was thoroughly rewarding to hear. She was quick to capture and to create the changing atmospheres and did so with conviction. Mr Christopher Gray was an excellent accompanist, showing complete understanding of the music and also the technical command to convey everything with unruffled ease. His playing gave support, colour, movement, and atmosphere, with polished sensibility. —C.F.B.