Bryn Terfel _300

  The second half was devoted to Schubert and Schumann lieder. From the bittersweet Two Grenadiers of Schumann, where it is never clear whether this is comedy or tragedy, through two delightful miniatures from the Myrten cycle to Schubert’s Litany for the Feast of All Souls, where he recalled singing the same piece in the tiny chapel on Bardsey Island, off the Lleyn, Terfel felt quite at home. And then to finish the section off with a sprightly performance of The Trout, where he ended up singing through clenched teeth, was a perfect balance.

  The selection of Celtic folk songs preceded three encores: Androzzo’s If I can Help Somebody, a comic setting of Mana-Zucca’s I chanced upon a big brown bear, and Britten’s fine and suggestively funny Foggy, Foggy Dew ended a fine performance in which pianist Jeffrey Howard proved himself an adept and very fine accompanist.

  A real triumph for Terfel – and for the Rodewald Concerts Society. Little wonder Terfel told the audience he wanted to be "artist in residence at the Philharmonic"