Crypt Close-Up: Ruby Hughes - Amidst the Shades

Such sweet sorrow: lutenist Jonas Nordberg and soprano extraordinaire Ruby Hughes explore four centuries of lute songs, in all their tenderness and passion.

Flow, flow my tears…“I feel often quite drawn to the more melancholic songs” says the soprano and musical explorer Ruby Hughes. “Dowland really understands the human condition; he understands suffering and sadness and loneliness”. Today, though, he’s merely the tender heart of a musical journey into the shade-dappled, endlessly poetic world of the lute song, from Tudor masters to the music of Purcell and Britten. Discover, too, specially commissioned Shakespeare songs from living composers including Errollyn Wallen and Cheryl Frances-Hoad - each inspired by the searching, wonderfully expressive sound of Hughes and her musical soulmate, lutenist Jonas Nordberg.

Programme:
Purcell Oh, Solitude; Music for a while
Britten Corpus Christi Carol
Dowland Flow my tears; Can she excuse my wrongs; In darkness let me dwell; lute pieces
Errollyn Wallen The Shade of my Sorrow
Cheryl Frances Hoad They bore him bare-faced on the bier

Performers:
Ruby Hughes soprano
Jonas Nordberg lute