Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone) accompanied by Nigel Foster

Shipston Music Society welcomed Jeremy Huw Williams, international and Welsh operatic baritone to our March event.     Jeremy has sung at some of the most prestigious concert venues and with a large number of the world’s greatest orchestras, so the fact that he was able to join us here in Shipston was a real coup! Jeremy had previously visited Shipston a few years ago when he took part in an Orchestra of the Swan concert at Townsend Hall.  This time, he was accompanied by Nigel Foster an accomplished pianist who has performed throughout Europe and the world.

The programme of music began with Schumann’s Dichterliebe which comprises six short songs based on the poems of German romantic poet Heide.  Jeremy’s rendition certainly reflected their romantic tone and angst.   The second half was lighter in tone, and we heard Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel followed by some Welsh language folk song arrangements by Britten.  These included the well known song, The Ash Grove.  I don’t know whether anybody in the audience was a Welsh speaker and able to follow the words, but the sound was glorious!  

David gave a vote of thanks and complimented Jeremy on his singing both in terms of superb diction and performance.  Certainly the applause he received showed how much the large audience had enjoyed the evening.   Jeremy gave an encore of the Celtic folk song, Down by the Sally Gardens