Mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately and pianist Julius Drake have released a compelling new album titled 'Through the Centuries: Songs of Madeleine Dring,' which serves as a powerful rebuttal to any notion that the British composer was not a serious artist. This wide-ranging survey, released on the Chandos label, delves into Dring's fervent, fun, and intoxicating works, offering a fresh assessment that is richly deserved for a musician whose career was tragically cut short.
A Maverick Composer's Unconventional Path
Born in 1923, Madeleine Dring studied at the prestigious Royal College of Music under notable teachers such as Herbert Howells and Vaughan Williams. Her career took an unconventional turn, with stints in theatre, pantomime, and cabaret, showcasing her versatility beyond classical composition. However, her life was abruptly ended by a brain aneurysm at the age of 53, leaving much of her music unpublished until the late 1990s. This delay threatened to consign her to obscurity, but Whately and Drake's album now brings her legacy into the spotlight.
Rediscovering Dring's Artistic Brilliance
The album draws on a diverse range of poets, from Shakespeare and his Elizabethan contemporaries to Dring's own peers, highlighting her canny knack for word-setting. Her ability to craft distinctive new melodies for well-known pieces, such as 'It Was a Lover and His Lass,' proves as effective as her original compositions. Whately's warm, supple mezzo-soprano voice handles these frequently fervent outpourings with ease, while her spotless diction and intense connection to the text immerse listeners in a world of rediscovered micro dramas.
Julius Drake's piano accompaniment is equally masterful, knowing precisely when to take the lead and when to provide more self-effacing support. This dynamic partnership enhances the emotional depth and variety of the album, from the throbbing, unconsummated passion of 'Love Is a Sickness' to the bluesy, melismatic lines of 'Echoes.'
Fun and Contrast in Dring's Repertoire
In contrast to the intense emotional pieces, the album also showcases Dring's playful side. Works like 'Encouragements to a Lover' and Shakespeare's 'The Cuckoo' are delivered with a tongue-in-cheek flair, adding a deal of fun to the collection. As an encore, Dring's arrangement of Cole Porter's 'In the Still of the Night' is described as welcome and piquant, akin to an olive in a dry martini, underscoring her versatility and innovative spirit.
This album not only revives Dring's music but also challenges historical perceptions, affirming her place as a serious and influential composer in British classical music. Through Whately and Drake's dedicated performance, listeners are invited into an intoxicating world where Dring's micro dramas come vividly to life, ensuring her work receives the recognition it has long deserved.
