Howard Assembly Room- 22nd November 2018

Christopher Maltman
baritone

Joseph Middleton
piano

One of the chief delights of the classical song recital is that the comparatively short form of the Lied (song) allows for imaginative, thematic programming, and the present concert is in this regard exemplary. As baritone Christopher Maltman explained in his opening speech at the start of the concert—which was also most enjoyable, since Maltman is a fine speaker as well as singer, and, in my view, a programme is enhanced by a few charming words of introduction rather than being launched into without any contextualisation—the programme of songs on poems related chiefly to The Great War as well as certain 19th– and early 20th-century wars was first developed whilst he studied at conservatory. It then grew to a full programme in 2014 with the centenary of the outbreak of The Great War and now, with 2018’s Remembrance services concluding, and a recording completed, Maltman is retiring the programme. I think this a bit of a shame for something so well put together, and hope to see it revived at some time in the future.

Read the full Leeds Living review here.