Lunchtime concert at St Mary in the Baum

Reporter: Pete Hinchcliffe
Date online: 15 February 2011

These lunchtime concerts really are a delight and are great value for money.

St Mary’s, built in 1911 by famous architect Sir Ninian Comper as a chapel-of-ease for St Chad’s and really is Rochdale’s answer to Manchester’s ‘hidden gem’. It provides a delightful setting for concerts of this sort.

The concert was performed by Anne Butterworth (Soprano), Peter Walker (Bass baritone) and piano accompaniment provided by Judith Mitchell.

Being close to St Valentine’s Day, the general theme of the concert was romance with a fine selection of songs from such diverse composers as Kurt Weill, Gilbert and Sullivan, Gounod, Ivor Novello and Flanders and Swann.

Ms Butterworth and Mr Walker are old friends and perform regularly both together and separately and this is very apparent. They know each other’s pace and range and know how to give of their best and how to complement each other’s performance. Their duet, ‘There Was A Time’ was particularly pleasing and well performed. Because they are friends their on-stage chemistry enhances every performance.

Ms Butterworth has a very good voice. As with all good artistes, the secret is in the breathing and projection. It is fine having the talent to carry a melody but you also need technique and Ms Butterworth has this in abundance.

Ms Butterworth started the concert off with Novello’s ‘Waltz of My Heart’ and ended it with Gounod’s Juliet’s Waltz Song; both very competently performed to an appreciative audience. She also included Kurt Weill’s ‘I’m A Stranger Here Myself’ which she will be singing when she stars as Polly Peachum in ‘The Threepenny Opera’ later on in the year for Chimera.

Mr Walker went to ‘Camelot’ for his ‘If I Would Leave You’ which he sung with vigour and passion. For his last piece he chose the delightful ‘Hippo Song’ from Flanders and Swann with audience assistance on the final chorus.

The piano accompaniment provided by Judith Mitchell was as confident as it was competent. Ms Mitchell is no mere ‘tickler of the ivories’ but is a real driving force for the whole performance. For her solo she chose to play the first movement of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’. Ms Mitchell is very modest but her enthusiasm and contribution are recognised by artistes and audience alike and her applause was well deserved.