Pleasing recital of madrigals

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33541, 23 May 1974, Page 14

Pleasing recital of madrigals

Tn the C.S.A. Gallery vesterday afternoon. the Tudor Singers gave an enjoyable recital of unaccompanied madnga.s and partsongs, responding with close attention to the alert direction of Derek Rogers. Contrast was provided by items for classical guitar played by David Smith and Bruce Carlson. Disciplined control was evident in the opening group of four-part madrigals by John Bartlett, John Dowlan'd and Orlando di Lasso Blend in the lower voices was uniformly good. The sopranos occasionally produced an individuality of tone which militated somewhat against that- but flexibility >f rhvthm and claritv of line were achieved. Of these six weh-contrasted items. Bartle’t’s “When from Mv I ove.” Dowland’s “His ("olden Locks" and di Lasso’s '■Vfatona. Lovely Maiden” we-o b®st nerformed. Three five-part madrigals — "My Bonny Lass” (Mor-

yjley), "The Silver Swan” e (Gibbons') and "Welcome v Sweet Pleasure’ (Weelkes) — were very well done, !especially the first. - i Three items from Moeelran’s “Songs of Springtime” - and a group of Matvas Sei--'ber's arrangements of s Jugoslav folk songs provided di the expected contrasts in el style. While intonation did not seem to be invariably s sure and there was a a I tendency towards tonal ; I individuality rather than d blend in the sopranos, both digroups were welcome: the -; Moeran for its subtle sense of s verbal rhythms and harmonic - colour, and the Seiber for 1 direct, uninhibited ext pression of national characf teristics. e The items for classical < guitar were appropriate and - very well plaved. Mr Smith i’, <ele<*tini? a short Prelude bv s R de Vi see and a stately s Bach sarabande, and Mr Carlcon presenting a charming Prelude bv the Brazilian s'composer. Villa-Lobos. ’ —V.G.