William Walton’s Façade

Auricle Ensemble

The complete extant material for includes thirty-five numbers set to music, and a further eleven in verse alone; poems that were either set and the music subsequently lost or that were never set to music at all. These poems comprise those that were originally set aside by the composer and author or for which the music has subsequently been lost. All are restored in Auricle’s performance to give further fascinating insights into Edith Sitwell’s writings. Sitwell’s clever and unique experiments into rhymes, dissonances, odd accentuation and elaborate speech patterns eventually won over Walton, who felt at first that it was beyond his comprehension. Not all came around to appreciate her new experiments - a painter who was working at the Sitwell’s during some of her recitations pronounced, “Very clever, no doubt - but what is she but a façade!” (Edith was delighted by the comment and it was quickly adopted as the title). As Walton’s popularity and confidence grew as a composer, Sitwell soon began to write verse to fit the music rather than the other way around. His extraordinary writing for small ensemble encompasses a huge range of styles from popular song to Stravinsky, tangos to bitonality and it is this mélange of quick-changing style that makes it as exciting to play as it is to listen to.

Auricle’s evening’s entertainment is in two halves with Sitwell’s unaccompanied verses cleverly interspersed within each half. All the well-known numbers such as Sir Beelzebub, Scotch Rhapsody, Old Sir Faulk, Jodelling Song and Aubade are included.

Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, School of Music, University of Leeds

Tickets: £18 / £16 advance booking saver Free students and children under 16