About BBC Singers
Performers
Mark Padmore tenor
Charles Gibbs narrator
BBC Singers
Philharmonia Orchestra Ensemble
Anna Lapwood*, Nicholas Freestone** organ
Sofi Jeannin conductor
Programme
Kristina Arakelyan Seascapes interspersed with
Britten trans. Anna Lapwood Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes* 22'
Poulenc Figure humaine 22'
Judith Weir In the Land of Uz** 35'
The hope of freedom from suffering is at the heart of Poulenc’s impassioned Figure humaine. Written during the Nazi occupation of France, it is one of the most beautiful choral works of the last hundred years and a moving tribute to all who fought for France during the Second World War. The theme is echoed in Judith Weir’s In the Land of Uz, a dramatised song of the Bible story of Job. Singers and instruments bring the different characters to life as we hear Job’s sufferings, his lament, and his final acceptance of old age. The BBC Singers are joined by Anna Lapwood, whose transcriptions for organ of the Four Sea Interludes by Benjamin Britten are interspersed with Kristina Arakelyan’s Seascapes, creating an evocative musical picture.
This concert will be recorded for future broadcast
Performance of Figure humaine supported by David and Patricia Ball
Anna Lapwood supported by Fr Michael Thomas
