Rebecca Clarke’s songs have been gradually gaining recognition, but a new recording marks the first time nearly all of them have been assembled together. The album, performed by mezzo-soprano Kitty Whately, tenor Nicholas Phan and pianist Anna Tilbrook, showcases Clarke's lyrical and dramatic voice.
The collection spans nearly 60 songs from the early 1910s to the 1940s, after which Clarke largely stopped composing. Around a third of the pieces are recorded for the first time, including German poetry settings from her student days in London. While some works show her developing her style, highlights such as the quietly imaginative Aufblick already display her distinctive touch.
Clarke’s mature style is dark, expansive and melodic, with a storytelling sensibility evident in The Seal Man and Binnorie, an extended setting of a Scottish ballad discovered after her death. The latter features a solo part for viola, Clarke’s own instrument. Max Baillie switches to violin for lively folk song settings, and another standout is Daybreak, a John Donne setting where tenor and string quartet form five equally eloquent voices.
The performers are persuasive, with Whately in particular on superb form, her voice laser-focused and glowing. This album finally gives Clarke’s songs the platform they deserve, revealing a composer of depth and drama.
