LULLABIES AT PURCELL ROOM: A DREAMY NOCTURNAL JOURNEY

By Emma Carney | Bunny Pudding · Digital Coven · @bunnyscopes ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

It was my first time sitting in the Purcell Room, and I immediately appreciated the intimate setting. The dark, comforting lighting and ambience really allowed you to disappear into the musical journey we were about to be led on by violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen and pianist Cordelia Williams. The programme for Lullabies promised an exploration of pieces associated with the atmospheres of night, slumber and dreams – some of my favourite things, to be fair. What I got was a delightful and dreamy musical experience.

The playlist was a mixed bag in the best possible way. Opening with Dvořák’s Songs My Mother Taught Me set a tender, nostalgic tone. The much-loved cradle songs by Schubert and Brahms followed, and there is something genuinely moving about hearing these familiar lullabies performed live in such a warm acoustic space. The programme then pivoted into more challenging territory. Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel brought a hypnotic stillness that I found deeply soothing, though I noticed a few audience members around me shifting in their seats. Later, the intense romanticism of Scriabin’s Nocturne in F sharp minor contrasted sharply with the quirky John Cage Nocturne.

The highlight of the afternoon was undoubtedly the new work written for the duo by Freya Waley-Cohen, the violinist’s sister. Sweet as plum wine is a beautiful piece. The title alone evokes something delicate and intoxicating, and the music delivered exactly that. It had a night sky of piano notes, a memory of an Irish fiddle running through it, and a sense of ancient depth.

The run time was approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, and the show ran with no interval. I appreciated that decision, as it kept the audience in touch with the nocturnal musical narrative we were being taken on. The shorter runtime meant the more challenging pieces never overstayed their welcome.

The intimate setting of the Purcell Room and the duo’s engaging stage presence made this a worthwhile afternoon. I felt closer to the musicians than I would in a larger hall, and when the music aligned with the theme, particularly in the Brahms, the Pärt, and the stunning new work by Freya Waley-Cohen. It was genuinely transporting.

Tamsin Waley-Cohen & Cordelia Williams: Lullabies was performed at Southbank Centre on Saturday 6 June.

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