MRC Chamber Music Series: Christopher Watson & Calvin Bowman

Program

Gerald Finzi
A Young Man’s Exhortation, Op.14

Calvin Bowman
Selected art songs

Christopher Watson and Calvin Bowman unite in A Young Man’s Exhortation

English tenor Christopher Watson is a third-generation singer, former member of the internationally renowned vocal ensembles the Tallis Scholars and Theatre of Voices, and an acclaimed recitalist. Christopher returns to his love of art song in a concert with one of Australia’s finest art song composers and pianists, Calvin Bowman.

About this concert

Art song is created through a thoughtful marriage of poetry and music. It appeals to lovers of chamber music, literature and those who can appreciate the lyrical impulse which has inspired composers like Gerald Finzi and Calvin Bowman to make art song a central focus of their output. This radiant song recital presents two rare opportunities – to hear celebrated Australian vocal music composer Bowman perform his own music, and to hear an English tenor singing some of the finest English art song of the 20th century. Profound themes of nature and loss are traversed through Finzi’s complete cycle to poetry by Thomas Hardy, and a varied selection of much-admired songs by Bowman.