This week’s Music at Lunchtime recital was given by Rosie in Form 6 performing a much-loved song cycle from Roger Quilter; followed by Dozie in Form 5 and Elsa in Form 4 performing on the piano.
The first piece, Fear No More the Heat O’ the Sun, is a song of mourning – an unusual theme for the start of a song cycle. The songs then discuss love in three different ways – a fanfare-style piece in Under the Greenwood Tree and a dance in It Was a Lover and his Lass, and a more regretful, melancholic piece Take, O Take Those Lips Away with lyrics from ‘Measure for Measure’. The final piece Hey, Ho, the Wind and the Rain neatly summarises life, and the mischievous fun of the piece is underwritten with the bittersweet reality of the brevity and hardships of life.
Rosie’s recital was an impressive performance of Quilters song cycle; weaving the essence and passion of Shakespeare’s words, with a musical cadence that was beautifully timed and brimming with diversity and delight for the audience—bravo, Rosie!
Following this, Dozie performed Chopin’s Mazurka in F# minor, op. 6 no. 1. The performance was an exploration of emotion and nuance, with Dozie adeptly navigating the piece’s melancholic melodies and rhythmic intricacies.
To end off our recital we had Elsa performing Schumman’s Lebhaft from ‘Bilder aus Osten, op. 66’, with Head of Piano, Anne Bolt. This duet for piano showed a dynamic display of musical synergy and individual artistry. The collaborative spirit added layers of richness to the performance, creating a cohesive and engaging musical narrative that delighted listeners from start to finish.
Congratulations to all the pupils involved for their performances of diverse and challenging music!
The recording from this week’s concert is available online here.
Next week’s Music at Lunchtime concert will be given by Form 1 music scholar Harriet. She will be performing violin pieces by Handel, Elgar, Dvořák & Massenet.
