Art Song Canberra
Jeremy Tatchell, baritone, Elena Nikulina, piano
Wesley Music Centre, October
9
Review by Len Power
‘From Russia (and New Zealand) with Love’ was a clever title
for this Art Song Canberra concert, given the New Zealand origins of baritone,
Jeremy Tatchell, and Ukraine’s pianist, Elena Nikulina. It also gave the pair the opportunity to sing
and play very contrasting music from their birth countries.
The first half of the program was devoted to works with a
New Zealand background, showcasing songs by David Farquhar and Douglas
Lilburn. ‘Five Songs of E.E. Cummings’
were charming, uniquely worded poems with music by David Farquhar that was
edgy, spare and unique in its own way.
Jeremy Tatchell sang these with great confidence and skill, especially
‘O by the by’ and ‘when faces called flowers float out of the ground’. The accompaniment by Elena Nikulina was very
well played. ‘Three Scots Ballads’ also
set to music by David Farquhar were a complete contrast to the E.E. Cummings
songs and Tatchell and Nikulina gave excellent performances of these stirring
and haunting songs.
‘Sings Harry’ with music by Douglas Lilburn based on poems
by Denis Glover is a work requiring strong character singing with reflective sections
contrasting with moments of robust, almost swaggering delivery. Tatchell was able to show the full dimension
of his fine voice and acting ability with these songs.
After interval, the focus was on works of the Russians,
Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky. Singing in
Russian, Jeremy Tatchell performed Mussorgsky’s ‘Songs And Dances of Death’
with great expertise. His strong
baritone voice was a perfect match for the unique Russian sound of this
music. Elena Nikulina played the
accompaniment with great accuracy and feeling.
The ‘Six Romances’ of Tchaikovsky included three poems of Tolstoy and
were highly emotional pieces sung with great clarity and warmth by Tatchell accompanied
by beautiful, sensitive playing by Nikulina.
This review was first published in the Canberra City News digital edition of Monday 10 October. Len Power’s reviews
can also be heard on Artsound FM 92.7 ‘Artcetera’ program from 9.00am on Saturdays.
