A Garden of Verses

MICHAEL DRAKE

King of Hearts, Norwich (Norfolk and Norwich Festival)

An hour of music for voice and lute was the delightful offering by Sophia Brumfitt (soprano) and Rosemary Hodgson – and those who did not want reminding that weeds are growing fast but wish to reflect on garden glories of the first Elizabethan era must have been well satisfied in this intimate coffee concert. Songs of Sundrie Kindes was the title of Greaves's book from which came Shaded with Olive Trees to open – and whilst highly decorated, it set the pattern. In the following lively Italian song Miss Brumfitt took on the (vocal) character of the period which she continued throughout, while Miss Hodgson accompanied her sympathetically as well as showing gentle and subtle technique and quality. A blackbird in the courtyard added his atmospheric song during This Merry Pleasant Spring. There was melancholy, too, amongst the songs, but the duo, adopting the name Rose Mundi, reflected the flowers' symbol of breathing life and colour into the programme.