John Wilson with Special Guest, Sir Thomas Allen

It’s the last concert in the Classic FM: John Wilson Sunday Afternoon series, and this time it’s completely locally-grown talent as internationally-renowned and award-winning baritone, Sir Thomas Allen joins the maestro and MC on stage. Together they present a tour of an idyllic England, with traditional tunes and relaxed operetta arias. The programme draws upon the contemporaries of Vaughan-Williams, those involved in the English folk revival of the early 20^th century as well as those whose music has come to represent the quintessence of English music.  Orchestral music comes in the form of Delius’ On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring as well as Walton’s Proms favourite, The Crown Imperial.  Traditional ditties establish the folk resonance in the concert, with Show me the Way to Wallington appearing in the repertoire as a personal favourite of Sir Thomas’s. Having recently accepted the post of President of the Friends of Royal Northern Sinfonia, the singer’s association with the orchestra continues.  He comments: ‘My memory of the orchestra goes back to a concert conducted at Sunderland Empire with Vladimir Ashkenazy – it has been a long and great association. These are important times musically in the North East and I look forward to being there.’ Alongside other traditional favourites Dance ti thy Daddy and Arnold’s Four English Songs appears the War-time favourite Roses of Picardy, the singing of which helped soldiers who were suffering from shell shock to regain their powers of speech following the Great War. The matinee programme is part of Sage Gateshead’s Classic FM series, Royal Northern Sinfonia being the national radio station’s orchestra in the North East. These concerts are a great way to hear works that you can’t help but love, as well as get to grips with orchestral music.