The Royal Albert Hall witnessed a historic moment as Chineke! Orchestra, under conductor Jonathon Heyward, delivered the belated premiere of Ballet by Edmund Thornton Jenkins, a three-movement work composed in 1918 whose incomplete manuscript parts were reconstructed by the composer's great-nephew, Tuffus Zimbabwe. The concert, part of the Proms season, also featured US soprano Angel Blue performing Samuel Barber's nostalgic Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and closed with a breathless rendition of Dvořák's Symphony No 8.
A Rediscovered Voice from the Early 20th Century
Edmund Thornton Jenkins, who grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, died in Paris at the young age of 32, having established himself as a rising composer and band leader. His studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1918 led to the creation of Ballet, which was heard for the first time at this Prom. The performance, conducted by Jonathon Heyward, proved persuasive, according to the review.
The work opens with a substantial Processional that alternates between ominous and light-footed moods, leading into a second movement featuring a bubbling flute duet and a florid viola solo. These sections repeatedly demonstrate Jenkins's gift for weaving together melody and countermelody, offering a compelling glimpse of his compositional voice.
Angel Blue's Showcase and a Dropped Song
The first half of the concert served as a platform for soprano Angel Blue. In Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915, based on James Agee's text, the words did not always project clearly across the hall, but the reviewer noted her gleaming tone and the childish innocence of her character, which conveyed the music's intense nostalgia effectively.
After a costume change, Blue returned with a microphone to perform four Great American Songbook standards. The performance was described as self-indulgent, relying heavily on charm, particularly when she sang My Funny Valentine directly to the front rows. The review noted that some songs lacked vocal polish, with the trumpet solo by Richard Kelley in Puttin' On the Ritz being the high point.
It was also noted that a song by Margaret Bonds had been quietly dropped from the programme, a decision the reviewer lamented.
Dvořák's Symphony No 8: A Breathless Finale
The orchestra, particularly its versatile and superbly blended brass section, was in top form for Dvořák's Symphony No 8. Heyward shaped a performance full of momentum, setting electric tempos and driving the finale to its close with breathless excitement, according to the review.
The concert is available on BBC Sounds until 12 October. The Proms season continues until 12 September.
