COMPOSERS: Howard Skempton,Traditional
LABELS: Harmonia Mundi
WORKS: Ancient and modern poetry sung to medieval melodies
PERFORMER: Paul Hillier (voice) Andrew Lawrence-King (harp, psaltery)
CATALOGUE NO: HMU 907204
This entertaining disc sets poetry by Yeats, Dickens, Brecht and others to well-chosen melodies. Hillier’s delivery is captivating (though his choice of a ‘yokel’ accent for the Scottish ballad ‘Kiltory’ is odd), and the harp adaptations of Skempton lend a magical touch. Anthony Pryer