Home / Arts and Entertainment / Vocal Recital Breathes Life into Wartime Poems
Vocal Recital Breathes Life into Wartime Poems
15 Apr
Summary
- Roderick Williams and Iain Burnside performed poems from WWII internment camps.
- Martin Iddon's 'Dunwich' created atmospheric soundscapes without a singer.
- The festival celebrated vocal arts with traditional recitals and avant-garde works.
Leeds' premier vocal arts festival presented a dynamic range of performances, blending traditional recitals with experimental compositions. A standout event featured baritone Roderick Williams and pianist Iain Burnside in a program titled 'Haiku.' This approximately 90-minute recital centered on eight poems by Japanese Americans interned during World War II, set to music by Libby Larsen. The performance explored themes of exile and detention, weaving these miniatures with songs from Williams' extensive repertoire.
Williams' expressive delivery and Burnside's sensitive accompaniment brought depth to a diverse selection of works, from Schubert and Liszt to Finzi and Vaughan Williams. The festival also premiered 'Dunwich,' a new commission by Leeds-based composer Martin Iddon. This piece, a 'song cycle without a singer,' used field recordings from Dunwich, a historically significant submerged city, and Iddon's own avant-garde piano score. Spoken ghost stories and eerie black-and-white videos enhanced the haunting atmosphere.
