Elizabeth Atherton - soprano / Iain Burnside – piano

BBC Lunchtime Concert Series at Wigmore Hall 7 November 2005

Haydn – The Mermaid's Song; Lob der Faulheit; She never told her love

Spohr – Gretchen am Spinnrade

Schubert – An den Mond; Gretchen am Spinnrade

Zelter – Sehnsucht

Howells – Three songs from “Peacock Pie”; Come sing and dance

Bridge – When you are old; Goldenhair; What shall I your true love tell?

Mozart – Die ihr unermesslichen Weltalls K619

Things have been going well for Elizabeth Atherton recently. Firstly joining Welsh National Opera as an Associate Artist, and now a Wigmore Hall recital falling into her lap owing to the indisposition of Christine Rice. She is to be applauded for seizing this opportunity at very short notice.

She chose to start her programme with Haydn and finish with Mozart, and between these presented a varied and unusual selection of pieces. Two versions of Gretchen am Spinnrade; Schubert's of course, and the earlier less familiar setting by Louis Spohr. I was also pleased to find Carl Friedrich Zelter represented by one of his early Goethe settings much appreciated by the poet; the two maintained a regular correspondence over a period of twenty or so years.

Atherton has a strong clear voice, and her excellent diction combined with a fine sense of comedy were shown to particular advantage in Haydn's Praise of laziness (featuring the most tuneful yawning I have ever heard), and the songs from Peacock Pie .

Iain Burnside provided strong support throughout, but perhaps especially in the Frank Bridge settings which call for an especial lightness of touch.

A good start to this Lunch Time series.

Serena Fenwick