The Classical Source press review of Candlebird

Description

"Martin Suckling's Candlebird (2011) [...] was constantly compelling over its 25 minutes [...], gratefully set for the words and for the voice, and imaginatively scored. [...] The opening setting 'The Landscape' (Desnos) is enticingly lyrical, the singer required to speak as well [...] atmospheric, beautiful, rather Brittenesque, perched somewhere between Serenade (for tenor, horn and strings) and A Midsummer Night's Dream. 'Sky Song' (also Desnos) enjoys rapturous paragraphs, to be then contrasted with the angular and incident-packed 'Motive' (the Paterson original) and the exuberant, much-fragranced dance of 'The Wind' (Machado). Finally 'Candlebird' itself and its manifold beauties and rich divisi (Tippettian) strings, the singer reaching an intensity worthy of a muezzin before the frozen, strings now unanimous, conclusion. Maybe Suckling takes a little too long in each poem to set what are a few paragraphs, but such expansion is also captivating and exhilarating in a cycle that has the potential for longevity." Colin Anderson, The Classical Source, 31 May 2011

Period	31 May 2011
Held at	The Classical Source, United Kingdom