A review of the premiere of my Three Edward Thomas Settings by Paul Conway from Musical Opinion (Oct-Dec 2023):
‘Robert Peate’s mini song-cycle of Edward Thomas settings rounded off proceedings in fine style. Will You Come? was initially spirited and joyful, its intermittent hesitations and decelerations mirroring the text’s increasingly agonised permutations of the title, e.g. ‘would you come’, ‘would you have come’, ‘if you come’, etc. The central Interval was a hushed and introspective nocturne, affectingly wistful in this focused premiere performance. The cycle concluded with an ardent treatment of The Lofty Sky, which included three slower, more reflective sections, remote and detached, featuring a speaking soloist over sustained choral chords. The closing pages seemed to be heading for a measured ending, but the final flourish was an uplifting reminder of the bold,
ascending scalic figure in the opening bars. Thoughtfully contrasting, yet pleasingly complementary,
Robert Peate’s three Edward Thomas settings made a substantial closing item to an inspiring, impressively performed programme.’
See my original post here