This was one of the most joyous (and heartbreaking) visits I have ever made to the Oxford International Song Festival. It was an evening that celebrated the voice and the incredible breadth that is the song repertoire.
The primary focus of the event was a performance of Faure's La Bonne Chanson, an unusual cycle of songs composed for voice, piano and string quintet. Verlaine's poetry conveys a broad range of imagery and mood and this is perfectly captured in the setting which ranges from the intensely intimate to an almost explosive orchestral grandeur.
Nicky Spence was accompanied by his regular collaborator and all around master of the keyboard Julius Drake along with the Piatti quarter and Leon Bosch on double bass. It was music making of the highest quality. Spence made full use of his robust yet flexible tenor to fully explore the colours of the songs.
However, there was just a hint that he wanted to burst free from the traditional confines of the recital room into a more expansive interpretation and performance style. He is a born performer who lights up any room even in more serious music.
Splendid and engaging as these 9 French Chansons were, it was the dazzling eclecticism of remainder of the programme that sparked joy in the church. It is always a thrill to encounter new songs and the Festival is one of the best settings in which to do this.
There were three sections to this part of the evening. Firstly a tribute to the Bards - Shakespeare and Burns. Here we were treated to Schubert, Britten and Poulenc as well a rare setting of Burns by Ravel. But the gem to emerge from this was John Dankworth's Dunsinane Blues - a fantastic retelling of Macbeth that gave Spence the opportunity to show his theatrical versatility to the full.
The middle section was an exploration of Marriage and Babies. The performance of two of Richard Strauss's greatest sing settings was truly sublime. They place huge demands on singer and pianist and those were more than met by Spence and Drake.
But the greatest emotional impact I have ever felt in any recital came from a lesser known Victoria Wood song Litter Bin. I was genuinely broken by the sad beauty of the piece. I was sobbing almost uncontrollably for several minutes. This is the true power of song. - words, music and performance combined to move people. Even now after many hours, my eyes are welling up just thinking of that song.
The evening closed with a celebration of Love and Music. What a treat it was to hear Julius Drake relishing everything from Coward to Tom Lehrer through to Stephen Sondheim. Not his usual repertoire, but he brought his musical intelligence to each of the pieces.
Spence was clearly loving his opportunity to be playful and cheeky. No more so than in the dark humour of The Masochism Tango complete with choreography!
The evening concluded with a unique mashup of Schubert and ABBA. That probably tells you all you need to know about this enchanting concert. Even with heartbreak that I experienced, I left the venue on a high.
Nicky Spence is one of the most versatile singers I have heard over many years of the festival. He has charm, charisma and a glorious voice that can be deployed in almost any style of music. Catch him whenever you get the chance. For me that will hopefully be when he takes on the title role in Peter Grimes for WNO next year.