SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Other Links

Editorial Board

Google Site Search

John Mark Ainsley was born to sing songs. He fully understands the idea of a recital – the intimacy of both the setting and the event, the special relationship between performer and audience and, best of all, he can communicate as if with you alone. He has a very special voice which is ideally suited to this kind of recital, an intimate exploration of some of Schubert’s darker songs, interspersed with a mere handful of  lighter numbers.

The programming pulled no punches and he began with four searching, and very haunting, songs. Ganymed wouldn’t be many singer’s choice for a starter but Ainsley was relaxed and ready for whatever Schubert gave him. He essayed this song quite effortlessly and then launched into the drama of Atys, an almost operatic scena of dark intensity. The hypnotic, and intensely obsessive, nature of Des Fischers Liebesglück was well caught – this was a difficult listen for Ainsley’s delivery was almost too intense to bear. What an interpretation.

The prize, for me, was Der Einsame, a seemingly easy going song about the delight of being a hermit, until the last verse where the poet says that he is grateful for the sound of the cricket, for then he feels less alone. With disarming ease, and charm, Ainsley told the story simply and it wasn’t until he’d finished that one realised the message of the song: he had one believing in the back to nature attitude of our hero so much, that his slight misgivings were almost given as a private thought.

To end, the gallop of Auf der Bruck, a wonderfully open air ride, most welcome after so much introspection. As ever we wanted more and Ainsley delighted us with Schubert’s first published song – Erlafsee, D586 – which brought a thoroughly satisfying LiederMittag to a gentle conclusion.

But it wasn’t entirely Ainsley’s show for he was more than ably partnered by the wonderful and insightful Roger Vignoles, who never accompanies, he plays the piano and supports the soloist whilst pointing the many felicities in Schubert’s piano parts, and bringing to life the ever changing and delicate filigree textures which abound in these songs.

This was a marvellous start to a four concert series of Schubert’s songs promoted by the BBC at LSO St Luke’s and it will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 12 May at 13.00h. Don’t miss it for if you do you will miss some of the best Lieder singing you’re likely to hear this year.

Bob Briggs


^{Back to Top                                                    Cumulative Index Page}