Recordings of Lennox Berkeley's music

Kathleen Ferrier and Sir John Barbirolli

Kathleen Ferrier and Sir John Barbirolli album cover Format: CD
Label: Barbirolli Society
Release date: March 2015
Catalogue no: SJB 1080

Lennox Berkeley had written Four Poems of St Teresa of Avila in 1947 for contralto and string orchestra, expressly for Ferrier. As it was his first solo vocal work, Berkeley consulted with Ferrier during its composition, recalling that ‘she put herself at the service of the music.’ She gave the first broadcast performance at the end of April 1948 with the Arnold Goldsbrough Orchestra, and this subsequent performance from November 1949 under Barbirolli reveals the insight of both artists with music of their British contemporaries, more so perhaps as Ferrier never recorded the work commercially. (Synopsis by Barbirolli Society)

Performed by the Hallé Orchestra, John Barbirolli (conductor) & Kathleen Ferrier (contralto)