27. The Sound of Silence: Benjamin Appl & Sholto Kynoch

The baritone Benjamin Appl has been described as possessing a voice that ‘belongs to the last of the old great masters of song’ with ‘an almost infinite range of colours’ (Süddeutsche Zeitung), an ‘exacting attention to text’ (New York Times), and artistry that is ‘unbearably moving’ (The Times).

Continuing our day’s theme of spirituality, the sacred and the secular across the ages, Benjamin Appl and pianist Sholto Kynoch present a programme that explores silence and introspection as the starting point for music. At the heart of the programme, we hear Schumann’s Liederkreis Op.39, which sets poems by Joseph von Eichendorff: not only in the song ‘Die Stille’ (‘The Silence’), the cycle is permeated with moments of silence and a longing for peace. Songs by Schubert also run through a programme that includes Gregorian chant, Baroque masters Monteverdi, Bach and Stölzel, and songs by Mendelssohn, Wolf, Strauss, Ives, and Macmillan.

EMERGING ARTIST: Nardus Williams
Every evening recital this year will begin with Schubert songs performed by singers who have arguably been hardest hit by the current crisis: artists who are already forging careers but not yet at a stage where they can view current circumstances as a temporary setback. Tonight, we hear outstanding soprano Nardus Williams, who is an ENO Hareweood Artist and has been described by Opera Today as possessing a ‘superbly controlled, sensuous soprano which has sheen and shimmer as well as real focus of tone.’

This concert will be streamed completely live from the Holywell Music Room. Shortly afterwards, it will also be available to watch again (using the same ticket and link) until 1 November 2020. Click here for further information on how tickets will work this year.

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