Diamond Songs @ Colston Hall - Tonight

Tonight's recital at Bristol's Colston Hall, Diamond Songs, is organised by the English Poetry and Song Society and being given by Sarah Leonard and Stephen Varcoe, with Nigel Foster on piano. The theme of the concert is composers who were Master's of the King's (or Queen's) Music. My special interest is that the  concert also includes performances of the four finalists in the English Poetry and Song Society's Diamond Jubilee Composition Competition and my song For David on His Birthday is amongst them (You can hear the tenor version of the song on Sound Cloud). Read on for the complete programme.

The first half is a selection of songs by Master of the King's and Queen's Music starting with the 17th century. Then in second there is a selection of lighter songs, prefixed by the competition winners.

My Dearest, my fairest - Henry Purcell

 Go, rose, my Chloe’s bosom grace - Maurice Greene

Tell me lovely Shepherd - William Boyce                                              

The Birds - Walford Davies

Hame  - Walford Davies

I heard a Piper Piping - Arnold Bax

In the Morning  - Arnold Bax

Father and Daughter -arr. E.J.Moeran

Cupid’s Garden - arr. E.J. Moeran

Spring  - Arthur Bliss

Winter - Arthur Bilss

Pansies - Edward Elgar

Speak Music  - Edward Elgar

4  Song Competition winners         

The North Ship                                                                        Jolyon Laycock

Bee Dance                                                                                Janet Oates
The Fox                                                                                    Brian Daubney
For David                                                                                  Robert Hugill                 

O Waly, Waly - arr. Benjamin Britten

Come you not from Newcastle? - arr. Benjamin Britten

 Another Spring - Raymond Warren

Anniversary  - Raymond Warren

 The Armadillo - Flanders & Swann

The Warthog - Flanders & Swann

 My bed is a boat - Malcolm Williamson

Song of the Nightclub Proprietress - Madeleine Dring

I went to a marvellous party - Noel Coward

Waltz of my Heart - Ivor Novello

Fold your wings - Ivor Novello

On a separate but interesting note, Sarah Leonard is going to be awarded an Honorary Degree by Hull University for her services to contemporary music.