The Work of an Artist, St John's Church

A life of love and labour, James Way (tenor) and Natalie Burch (piano).

Tenor James Way and pianist Natalie Burch were winners of the 2nd Prize in the 62nd Kathleen Ferrier Awards at the Wigmore Hall. These exciting young performers hold many top prizes and awards between them and are fast becoming recognised for their outstanding musicianship and creative programming.

“Blessed with a full-bodied attractive tone, deployed to superbly expressive effect” – Barry Millington, Evening Standard.

The first half of the programme explores the realms of musical instruments and musicians within the song repertoire. Opening with Shakespeare's famous text If music be the food of love set by Henry Purcell and wonderfully arranged for piano by Benjamin Britten, we are given an immediate statement of the importance of music and art within human existence. The rest of the first half draws on music from the German song repertoire and explores portrayals of specific musical instruments and their players.

The second half of the programme opens with a set of musical portraits by Schubert before exploring the idea of image and its creator through Poulenc’s cycle Le travail du peintre. Poulenc had a fine taste in art and this cycle sets texts about painters, including Picasso and Chagall, who were especially dear to Poulenc’s favourite poets. The programme ends with Jake Heggie’s Friendly Persuasions, a set of songs based on real correspondence between Poulenc and some of the most important people in his life. Here we get a stark and dramatic insight into the life of Poulenc, his contemporaries and the creation of some of his most famous songs.

Wednesday 7th March, ​7.00pm (Doors open at 6.30pm)
Tickets £30