Songs of Inspiration

Welcome to our third programme, Songs of Inspiration. Tonight, we are delighted to welcome contralto Kayla Collingwood in her CMC debut, alongside pianist Mirei Tsuji. Together, they will guide us through a rich and varied journey of song, exploring works that capture love, longing, and the power of musical storytelling.

Our programme opens with Tonadillas by Spanish composer Enrique Granados. Inspired by the paintings of Francisco Goya, these songs evoke the lively world of majos and majas—the elegantly dressed men and women of 18th-century Madrid. The vocal lines brim with Spanish flair, while the piano often imitates the guitar, bringing an unmistakable sense of place and character to these theatrical pieces.

From the bustling streets of Spain, we turn to the intimate world of Johannes Brahms. His Two Songs were written as gifts for the renowned violinist Joseph Joachim and his wife, contralto Amalie Weiss. The second song, originally composed to celebrate their marriage, was presented to them only later at their child’s baptism. The first, written years later, was an attempt to help heal their troubled relationship. Both depict the wind in the trees—first as a calming presence in Gestillte Sehnsucht, then as an unsettling force in Geistliches Wiegenlied. The combination of poetic imagery, rich musical expression, and deeply personal connections makes this set profoundly moving.

The theme of love and longing continues with Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder. Unlike Brahms, Wagner was not drawn to composing stand-alone songs, instead dedicating himself to the Gesamtkunstwerk—a total work of art in which music, poetry, drama, staging, and philosophy were inseparable. However, during his exile in Switzerland, he found inspiration in the poetry of Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of his patron, with whom he had an intense amorous relationship. These songs, infused with rich harmonies and emotional intensity, became studies for his opera Tristan und Isolde, capturing the restless yearning that would define one of his greatest works.

To conclude the evening, we turn to the elegant simplicity of Vincenzo Bellini’s Ariettas. In contrast to the weighty expressiveness of Wagner and Brahms, these delicate songs embrace the bel canto tradition, where the beauty of the voice takes centre stage. Their charm lies in their effortless melodies and heartfelt expression—a light and graceful ending to our programme.

We are so pleased to share this evening of music with you. Thank you for joining us, and we hope the poetry and music of tonight’s programme inspire you.

KYLE founder & director