Twelve students from the lieder class and the French song class of the DIT presented a recital in the John Field Room, NCH, on Friday at lunchtime. Each student sang one item, with the exception of Sinead Campbell who sang two in German. The reliable and sympathetic accompanist was Mairead Hurley. Six of the songs were in French and to my ear the singers sounded more involved, more inclined to give a discernible shape to their performances than the singers of the German songs.
In general, however, the singers confined themselves to giving straightforward accounts of the songs and did not succeed in adding that magic which turns the music into a spell that links performer and audience. This may have been due to a lack of confidence or nervousness and with some singers the use of vibrato seemed excessive.
Sinead Campbell gave the most polished performance and projected that flavouring of personality that can vivify the score. In her Ganymed (Schubert) the little drama really came to life.