Toad Lane Concerts: Lucy Farrimond soprano and Juanjo Blazquez piano

Juanjo Blazquez and Lucy Farrimond

Prize-winning British lyric soprano Lucy Farrimond has toured both the UK and abroad working with renowned conductors and orchestras. Her repertoire ranges from opera to solo concert, recital and chamber music, as well as radio and TV. A keen polyglot, she speaks English, Spanish, French, Italian and German.

Juanjo Blazquez is a Spanish pianist who has performed all over Spain and the UK, Macedonia, and Austria, and the ALTI Hall in Kyoto.

This pair of superbly qualified rising stars gave the audience at St Mary's on Wednesday 31 July an opportunity to hear some rare musical gems.

We are familiar with the piano repertoire of Franz Liszt the Hungarian pianist-composer, superstar of the nineteenth century Romantic movement. Here we heard his settings of poetry that rival those of the better-known Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Wolf. Lucy’s masterful interpretations along with Juanjo’s complementary accompaniments demonstrated that Liszt’s vocal writing, of Die Lorelei for example, deserve more hearings.

After an exquisite first half of German lieder Lucy turned her attention to twentieth century English song, which also has an abundance of magical settings.

Two songs by Eric Coates showed that he deserves more recognition than just for his famous BBC signature tunes such as Desert Island Discs, and Music while you work.

Dream Valley by Quilter and Silent Noon by Vaughan Williams are fine examples of this rich period of British music.

Lucy also championed the music of British woman composer Muriel Herbert, who was overlooked in her lifetime, with two rarely heard songs, beautifully sung and played.

They signed off with the delightful singing and playing of My Life Belongs to You by Ivor Novello.

Lucy appeared here at St Mary in the Baum as a student in 2020 and 2022 and is clearly fulfilling the considerable promise she showed then. It is great that Rochdale’s generous audiences at Toad Lane Concerts are helping such developing talent to hone their performing skills.

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

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

Dr Joe Dawson