SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Brahms, Debussy, Poulenc, R. Strauss:  Kate Royal (soprano); Roger Vignoles (piano). Wigmore Hall, 16.2. 2008 (CC)


Interviewing Kate Royal (for another journal) was an interesting experience, not least because of her insistence that it is with song that her heart truly lies. At the time, she was tied up with preparations for an opera at ENO and her EMI disc with Edward Gardner had just been released. This programme of Lieder and Chanson at the venerable Wigmore would seem to constitute her ideal, though.

Indeed, Royal did seem remarkably at home. Her contact with her audience was notable, in that there was  a real feeling of rapport. The oft-repeated complaint against her - that her diction is lazy – seems to have been taken to heart, for there were only a couple of occasions when ends of words failed to make it to the back of the hall.

She began with Brahms' Op. 70 set of Vier Gesänge, altering the order slightly so that she began with 'Serenade'. The rapport with Vignoles was a wonder. Vignoles projected the bird-song of the 'Im Garten am Seegestade' perfectly (and without a hint of kitsch); Royal's pitching was excellent at the opening of 'Lerchengesang' after Vignoles' tonally ambiguous introductory bars. These songs deal mainly with grief, and the Royal/Vignoles partnership travelled straight to the heart of this most Romantic of emotions. It would be a treat to hear more of Royal's Brahms.

As it was, the recital moved on to more francophile pastures. The Debussy Cinq Poèmes de Baudelaire (1887-89) immediately introduced amore heady, volatile language. The first talks of memories, and indeed Royal and Vignoles managed to convey this idea perfectly. Royal had elected to move her hands minimally in the Brahms; now they became a part of her expressive vocabulary. The sense of repose of the second song ('Harmonie du soir') was brought about through the effective conjunction of Vignoles' glowing piano tone and Royal's equally impressive breath control. Of particular note was the final song, 'La mort des amants', which became as elusive as its subject matter. For the first time in the recital  too, Royal allowed her voice to fully open out in the final bars – and what an effect it made.

Poulenc's Fiançailles pour rire (translated as 'Light-hearted betrothal' in the booklet) dates from 1939 and sets poetry by Louise de Vilmorin. It is a tremendous set of (six) songs. Royal chose to use less vibrato here, to give a cleaner feel, completely in line with Poulenc's mode of expression and his pungent harmonies. The set is remarkably varied, from the terrible sadness of the second song ('Dans l'herbe') through the agile third ('Il vole') and the quasi-extempore fifth ('Violon'). The set ends, most effectively, with a harmonic question mark.

Finally, Richard Strauss. The Op. 22 Mädchenblumen ('Maiden flowers') sets poems by Felix Dahn. Its suggestive subject matter resulted in a score that is frequently as fresh as the flowers it celebrates. Indeed, the first song is a celebration of Nature itself (freshly rendered here, by both singer and pianist). The cheekiness of 'Mohnblumen' ('Poppies') is balanced by 'Epheu' ('Ivy'), a beautiful setting of a beautiful poem. Royal almost acted out the final song, 'Wasserrose' ('Water lily'). Two more Richard Strauss Lieder ended the recital – the famous 'Ich wolt ein Sträusslein binden', Op. 68/2 (lovely melismas from Royal) and the aptly titled, 'Als mir dein Lied erklang!' ('As your song rang out!'). Here the vocal line positively soared. Royal in full flight is magnificent.

There was an encore (the excerpt from Debussy's Enfant prodigue found on her EMI disc, here of course with accompaniment arranged for piano). A fascinating evening, and I await a full Lieder recital disc from this source with impatience.

Colin Clarke


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