Come To Me In My Dreams : Works by Bridge, Britten, Holst, Howells, Ireland, Turnage, et al
Sarah Connolly, Joseph Middleton (Chandos)
Published:
Come To Me In My Dreams
Works by Bridge, Britten, Holst, Howells, Ireland, Turnage, et al
Sarah Connolly (soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano)
Chandos CHAN 10944 77:18 mins
This charming compendium of largely English songs celebrates 120 years of the art form at the Royal College of Music (RCM), each of the featured composers having a particular connection to that conservatoire. Pianist Joseph Middleton and mezzo-soprano – and RCM fellow – Dame Sarah Connolly deliver a varied collection that offers more than just vocal bonbons. Come to Me in My Dreams sweeps across the last century, picking out often overlooked composers such as John Ireland (‘Earth’s Call’ and ‘The Three Ravens’) and the wafting title track by Frank Bridge, which is featured alongside ‘Journey’s End’ and ‘Where she lies asleep’.
Slumber is also the theme of two world premiere recordings of works by Britten, no less. ‘A Sweet Lullaby’ and ‘Somnus, the humble god’ were initially composed for, but later excluded from, A Charm of Lullabies, which is sensitively included separately in the programme. Connolly and Middleton execute the complex phrasing with a sense of ensemble for which they are revered. An additional premiere recording comes in the form of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s ‘Farewell’ (2016), written specially for Connolly, a gorgeously rich goodbye.
Claire Jackson