Yvonne Kenny and Carolyn Watkinson perform Benjamin Britten’s Four Burns Songs, A Charm of Lullabies and Folksongs on this newly reissued album.

Four Burns Songs are taken from A Birthday Hansel, op.92, which was written at the special wish of Her Majesty The Queen for her mother’s seventy-fifth birthday, 4 August 1975. All of the songs are wonderfully flowing and expressive and are arranged for high voice with piano accompaniment.

Britten’s songs can scarcely be described as simple, particularly in terms of the psychological complexity and ambiguity of his many song cycles, of which Charm of Lullabies (1947) is the seventh.

It was composed for the mezzo-soprano Nancy Evans, who had alternated with Kathleen Ferrier the title role of The Rape of Lucretia the previous year, and who also created the role of Nancy in 1947’s Albert Herring. The texts are all taken from A Book of Lullabies 1300-1900 and in their various ways suggest to the listener that you’re never too young to be told of life’s dangers.

Accompanied by Tan Crone on piano, this is a welcome addition to the catalogue.