The conclusion of my research has awoken in me an even deeper interest and passion for the combination of folk and classical singing. To observe the difference in focus points within the two studies and how such a fundamental human function as to sing has been so very divided.
Having spoken with what arguably is the last generation to use folk songs as a functional day to day tool, alongside classical musicans who have only ever heard the Britten arrangements I have however found a fundamental love of these pastoral songs.
To be able to organise a performance that brings the two styles a little closer together, and two musical communities who deserve to be heard much more widely than they currently are is a privelage.
Being from a world where both the grandiose concert halls frequented by Vaughan Williams, Britten and Butterworth are as familiar to me as the setting pubs, back rooms of village halls and open air singing. Through this research I believe I have found a way to bring these world a little closer together.
Arguably, it is not a subject that will change the face of music by any means. However, I believe the personal research into performance in my own practice and the consequential musical advances I believe to have made in my fieldwork and mission into supporting both folk and classical music. The simple adjustments to performance style and venue can make such great differences.
To put into a contextual sense as to how this research has directly impacted on my own primary study, I attach an audition tape and selection of recordings made in the final stages of this research. It shows a much higher ability of performance skills and storytelling within classical singing. While this improvement is clearly not through only the effect of this research, however I feel that a significant quantity of improvement has been aided by the process of this research, understanding why I am more comfortable performing folk, why and how to implement it in my own singing and how to mentally combine the skills I have gained through both styles to create a stronger performer in myself. The video includes a rendition of The Last Rose of Summer, from Book Four.
It is through this research that I feel to have achieved a considerable improvement in my performance as an artist, and to also have created a subject and project that I can bring forwards, while honoring my two greatest musical influences. A project to honor both those 'jolly ploughboys' and the great Benjamin Britten while advancing my own musicianship