An Evening of Song
Cromdale Hall, Cromdale, Highlands and Islands - 21/08/22
The refurbished Cromdale Hall hosted an inaugural recital on Sunday to celebrate a new venue in the Highlands for music and performance. It was the first opportunity for conductor Robin Versteeg to play within the Cairngorms National Park where he is a resident. Although teaching in the area, his main work is in Inverness where he is busy conducting The Ness Sinfonia, the Cairngorms Orchestra and The Highland Chamber Orchestra. Christopher Josey, born in Australia, is a highly regarded operatic and concert artist now living in Aviemore within the National Park. Since being a member of the Opera Australia Young Artists Development Programme his move to London saw him perform at Glyndebourne, with the ENO, Opera North and the New York City Opera. This collaboration is a long-awaited event and both Robin and Christopher were delighted to at last be performing on home ground. The programme they presented was a mixture of classic songs based around the sea, dreams, and love. Warming up with Ian Venables – Venetian Songs Op.22 – ‘Invitation to the Gondola’ (John Addington Symonds) - within this intimate setting the audience were soon transported to the lapping waves of the lagoon. Following with Frederick Keel ‘Three Salt Walter Ballads’ by which time Christopher’s fine voice had warmed up. I particularly liked his rendition of ‘Limehouse Reach’ (C. Fox Smith). Having just visited Orkney I had not realised that Peter Maxwell Davies was resident there for most of his life and had inaugurated the St Magnus Festival. I was busy in Kirkwall seeking out the tomb of John Rae, the Artic Explorer, in St Magnus Cathedral. So ‘Three Sanday Places’ hit the mark.
As the Interval approached Christopher was in full flow ending with a jolly piece- Peter Warlock – ‘Captain Stratton’s Fancy’ (John Masefield).
Tea, coffee and of course shortbread was enjoyed by the audience who quickly took their seats anticipating a second helping of this special evening. Having requested Elizabethan songs, I was delighted with Ivor Gurney’s – ‘Sleep’ (John Fletcher). The varied programme throughout was full of song and poetry featuring work by Benjamin Britten, Gerald Finzi and I must confess many I was not familiar with.
Robin Versteeg has a unique understanding of the solo artist and complemented Christopher’s fine voice perfectly. He also slipped in a solo performance demonstrating his keyboard virtuosity.
Finishing with John Ireland – ‘If There Were Dreams to Sell’ – Thomas Lovell Beddoes, the appreciative audience asked for an encore. So, we were treated to the popular ‘Foggy Foggy Dew’. Covered in the past by no less than Peter Pears and Burl Ives. A wonderful folk song beloved by all.
So, walking home into the clear air of the Highlands, we hope that this will not be just a one-off performance but the beginning of a regular series. A cultural experience not just enjoyed by city dwellers in the south but within an area of outstanding natural beauty, the Cromdale Hills.