Toad Lane Concerts: Anne Butterworth soprano, Stephen Taylor baritone and Elaine Marsden piano

Anne Butterworth, Stephen Taylor and Elaine Marsden

Three well-known local musicians treated the audience at St Mary in the Baum to their own vocal variety show of songs, duets, and a piano solo to boot.

Soprano Anne Butterworth has performed locally for many years and is also currently the MD for Woodhouses Church Amateur Operatic Society.

Similarly, retired telecommunications engineer and baritone Stephen Taylor has regularly performed as a singer and as musical director, and currently plays saxophone in three concert bands and is MD for Pendle Community Orchestra and The Hyndburn Singers.

Pianist Elaine Marsden also immerses herself in the local music scene, from shows and choirs and with solo performers in the area as participant as well as accompanist.

Despite the prevailing mood set by the coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, ‘Oh! What a Beautiful Morning’ was a suitable opening from Steve, as he explained that Oklahoma was a favourite of Her Late Majesty. Cheerfulness mixed with sorrow for the rest of the concert.

Anne followed with ‘My Dearest Dear’ by Ivor Novello and alternated with Steve with solos ranging from arias by Handel to Gilbert & Sullivan and Kurt Weill.

Steve’s repertoire was similarly diverse with a Traditional Spirituals, Stephen Sondheim and a well-received ‘On the Road to Mandalay’, Oley Speakes’ famous setting of Rudyard Kipling.

Like milestones throughout the programme, they sang disparate duets from Mozart, Gershwin, Gilbert & Sullivan, and Hammerstein & Kern.

As an instrumental interlude Elaine contributed Fly Me to The Moon for Jazz Piano by Bart Howard.

With such variety there was something for everyone to enjoy and go away with a song in their heart.

The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. No refreshments available now, but the venue is Covid-19 compliant. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

To see details of forthcoming Toad Lane Concerts, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson