Songs at Six

Songs at Six: Die schöne Müllerin

Tuesday 24 November, 6pm

Following his masterclass with Guildhall singers, Roderick Williams returns to the School to lead a project with postgraduate Vocal students centred around Schubert’s famous song cycle Die schöne Müllerin, culminating in this performance in Milton Court Concert Hall.

Songs at Six: Emily Dickinson

Wednesday 25 November, 6pm

Iain Burnside curates an evening of song exploring the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Transatlantic responses from Aaron Copland, Libby Larsen, Lee Hoiby and Juliana Hall contrast with works by Guildhall’s Head of Composition, Julian Philips.

Songs at Six: The Complete Songs of Samuel Barber

Thursday 3 December, 6pm

Julius Drake directs this concert of Samuel Barber’s songs, beginning with his early Dover Beach for baritone and string quartet, and culminating in his late, great cycles for voice and piano.

Songs at Six: The Songs of Francis Poulenc

Friday 4 December, 6pm

Graham Johnson celebrates the publication of his new book Poulenc: The Life in the Songs with this concert of settings of poetry by Apollinaire and Éluard. The Paul Hamburger Prize for Voice and Piano Duo will be awarded at this recital.

Songs at Six: Beethoven Influences in Song

Wednesday 9 December, 6pm

Postgraduate singers and pianists honour Beethoven’s 250th anniversary in a programme curated and directed by pianist Eugene Asti, exploring songs by Beethoven, his forebears, contemporaries and descendants. The settings include texts by Goethe and subjects sacred and profane in repertoire spanning the eighteenth to twentieth centuries.

Songs at Six: Bécquer in Song

Thursday 10 December, 6pm

Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (1836–1870) is widely considered the quintessential Spanish Romantic author. His poetry was crucial in the establishment of the Spanish Lied, and its impact on Spanish music has been far-reaching. The Becquerian song settings span over a century and feature breath-taking variety, offering unique insights into the evolution of Spanish art song.

Ricardo Gosalbo directs this concert – the final in this season’s Songs at Six series – marking Bécquer's 150th anniversary with a programme of songs by celebrated composers such as Manuel de Falla, Joaquín Turina and Federico Mompou, as well as lesser-known gems by José Espí Ulrich, Enrique Fernández Arbós and José María Guervós.