Adam Walker, Ailish Tynan, Tim Posner & James Baillieu | Leeds International Chamber Season 2023/24: French Connections

Adam Walker – flute

Ailish Tynan – soprano

Tim Posner – cello

James Baillieu – piano

André Caplet Viens! Une flûte invisible soupier for voice, flute, and piano

Maurice Ravel Chansons madécasses for voice, flute, cello, and piano

André Caplet Deux Petites pieces for flute and piano

Camille Saint-Saëns Une flûte invisible for voice, flute, and piano

Frank Martin Ballade for flute and piano

Judith Weir Nuits d’Afrique for voice, flute, cello, and piano

Hector Berlioz La captive for voice and piano

Gabriel Fauré Cinq mélodies ‘de Venise’ for voice and piano

Philippe Gaubert Soir Païen for voice, flute, and piano

Philippe Gaubert Nocturne et allegro scherzando for flute and piano

This concert is the fourth of six in the Leeds International Chamber Season 2023/24: French Connections. View all six concerts.

Maurice Ravel’s Chansons madécasses (Madagascan Songs) are scored for the unusual ensemble of voice, flute, cello, and piano. Judith Weir was commissioned by Wigmore Hall to write a piece for the same musical forces especially for Ailish Tynan, resulting in the astonishingly beautiful Nuits d’Afrique. Whilst Ravel chose text by the French poet Évariste de Parny, who claimed to have translated folk sources into his own Chansons madécasses, Weir uses poetry written by contemporary African women, evoking local life and scenes.