'A Million Little Diamonds' - engaging performances of Anthony Cæsar's settings of children's verse from Amy Carson & Nicola Rose
Anthony Cæsar (1924-2018) was formerly Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II, but also composed, best known for his Missa Brevis Capella Regalis. Soprano Amy Carson and pianist Nicola Rose have released a short recording of his short set of eight songs, A Million Little Diamonds. The songs are setting of poems from A Treasury of Verse for Little Children, and this recording is a bit of a family affair. Cæsar wrote the set in 1908 for his niece Judith, and the songs had not been heard until Carson (a cousin of Judith) was approached to record them. They are light numbers, but with joyful and playful setting of the simple texts, and Carson delivers them with and bright and clear tone. There are hints in the writing of that early twentieth century English pastoral style, and the harmonic language is pretty straightforward, but there is a charm in their simplicity. Evening Song that ends the set has more poignant nostalgia, but otherwise they are mostly light in mood. Carson has performed with The Sixteen, the Monteverdi Choir and the Gabrieli Consort, and specialises more in Baroque repertoire, but the lightness of touch she brings here is very much suited to these pretty songs. Nicola Rose, who works as a repetiteur for various opera companies, including Welsh National Opera and Longborough Festival Opera, provides smoothly flowing accompaniments, and brings out well the few moments of less expected harmonic movement, as well as bouncing along the more rhythmic accompaniments of songs such as The Four Winds and I Would Like You for a Comrade. They both enjoy the light humour of The Clocking Hen, yet give the briefly glistening Winter Jewels a pretty shine. Whilst relatively small scale overall, the set would sit nicely within a longer recital, and the performances here are touchingly engaging.
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