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"Their programme last night was taken from their usual range of medieval to baroque, for various combinations of a surprising range of styles and instruments. The stage area is filled with cases of unusual shapes, and rows of promising pipes, lutes, harps, harpsichords (two), etc. Few of these instruments produce the hearty sound of their modern equivalents, but they work together wonderfully, and proved well suited to the acoustic of St John's. The ensemble members are all musicians of the first standard, and totally safe pairs of hands, and voices, with which to relax and encounter music both known and already loved, and unfamiliar but interesting and even, perhaps, enchanting. For instance, the works of twelfth-century Hildegard of Bingen are no longer the secret they once were, but unfamiliar enough to rivet the listener's attention, and certainly so as sung by Sasha Johnson Manning. Both Sasha (soprano) and Holly Marland (mezzo) have voices so pure and rounded and true in pitch, which work so beautifully together, that an admiring amateur singer can only listen, breath almost held, in total pleasure. The same is probably true of the other musicians and their skills, where the listener has experience of trying to do what they do, but achieving only amateur standards. Roger Child plays anything with strings, one might guess, but on this occasion the theorbo, lute, viol, baroque guitar, to mention only some. Margaret Walker plays several different small harps. Jill Lingard plays two small harpsichords, toddler-size to the more usual grownup instrument. Together they achieve a programme of interest and balance that proved most satisfying. The audience was obviously immersed in the music, so that the proverbial pin dropped would have sounded loud indeed. It felt only a step from the castle hall, the Tudor panelled room, the church, in which these pieces would first have been heard. The operatic sounds of Handel arias, in the second half of the programme, came as quite a surprise. " - Ursula Birkett
"No Buxton Fringe Festival would be complete without Partita making a most welcome return to the event. Welcome not only because they complement the music of the Buxton Festival, but also because of their skill in interpreting the work of the likes of Monteverdi, Handel, Vivaldi and others. They have built up a loyal following for their recitals of this type of early music. Tonight's programme included much little-heard and rare material largely thanks to the researches of Roger Child. The particularly delightful 17th century Italian piece, Divisions on a Ground, showed the extraordinary versatility of the therbo, this old instrument which is like some monstrous lute on growth hormones was played expertly by Mr Child. The bass tones of this instrument being very pleasing on the ear. Partita consists of Margaret Walker, Jill Lingard, Sasha Johnson-manning and Roger Child, each bringing a wealth of experience and skill to this fine performance." - MF
"Partita are regulars at the Fringe now and have built up a loyal following for their recitals of Early Music. Tonight's programme included much little-heard and rare material - largely thanks to the researches of Roger Child... ...At the sublime end of the scale was a song composed by Tarquino Merula Hor ch'e tempo di morire in which Mary reflects on the painful death that awaits her infant son Jesus. This was beautifully sung by Holly Marland (mezzo) accompanied by Roger Child (theorbo - a five foot long, lute-like instrument) and Jill Lingard (harpsichord)... The second half of the evening took us to more familiar territory - including Purcell's O let me weep (Sasha sounding suitably tragic here), a Bach suite (more usually heard these days on guitar but tonight on theorbo which Roger reckons most closely matches the sound of the baroque lute) and a Vivaldi sonata for harpsichord and theorbo."
"Margaret Walker, harpist, opened the programme and immediately assured us of the high standard of musicianship we could expect. The C15th English carol There Is No Rose introduced Sasha Johnson Manning whose beautiful voice, fragile and pure, was perfectly accompanied by Roger Child on lute and Holly Marland on recorder… …Music written for holy week opened the second half of this performance…the audience was enveloped, transported, moved - a wonderful experience. This was followed by Roger Child's interpretation of the Second Cello Suite by Bach…the audience was spellbound… The finale, Purcell's Fairest Isle and Evening Hymn, gave us another chance to drown in Sasha Johnson Manning's fantastic voice, whilst a piece by Boyce gave Jill Lingard the opportunity to show her talents to the full. The overwhelming impression of the evening was that here were a group of immensely talented musicians who had such pleasure making music together that we, the audience, were privileged to be there with them…" - BM
…The concert rapidly developed into a fine display of ability and expression. Strong vocals were a feature of many of the pieces, ranging from absurdly comic, in songs such as El Grillo, to emotional arias, In te domine speravi in particular. The vocals were constantly supported by competent and sensitive harp, lute and harpsichord accompaniment… …The highlight of the evening was, for us, Alessandro Marcello's Adagio, played emotively with a great deal of skill, and a superb guitar tone, with a steady and atmospheric harpsichord backing. The best summary of the concert is the title of one of the songs played: Behold a wonder here." -
Nick Butterley and Elanor Smith.
"It was a mouth-watering melee of a programme. Kicking off with a Handel Suite and bowing out over two hours later with Purcell, Partita made a sound case for the 500 years of music making which preceded the Classical period. The earliest witness was Adam de la Halle's delicious Diex soit written a few years before the Middle English epic poem Orfeo, based on the Greek legend which, musically and metaphorically, made its presence felt throughout the evening... ...The first half ended with a couple of Bach songs; and Bach and Sasha Johnson Manning are a formidable combination... ...Anthony and Margaret Walker were solid throughout, on flute and harps respectively, and Jill Lingard underpinned the whole thing with her carefully executed harpsichord lines...Roger Child, an extremely laid-back director, wove his way through the edifice with lute, viol and guitar... ...This
is said every year when Partita play, but Sasha Johnson Manning's is a
voice which would compliment the very best music makers in the land. And
with Holly Marland's duetting we have a dream combination which, if suitably
trumpeted, should pack out a venue ten times this size when the band returns."
...The adaptations from the wider repertoire for these particular instruments give a change of colour, even when the original 'tune' remains familiar. Thus the flute substituted for voice in songs from Handel's Rinaldo, and the guitar for cello in a Bach unaccompanied suite, which became even more than usual a meditation between player and instrument which we happened to be privileged to overhear... ...In one number after another, the audience was rapt, concentrating totally on the pleasure at hand. A Bach flute sonata with harp (instead of the original harpsichord) made such an exquisite sound that you could only regret that Bach never heard it, and be grateful that Mozart later wrote for this combination. The
soprano, Sasha Johnson Manning, used her remarkable voice with complete
assurance in whatever kind of piece she sang...The audience hung on to
every phrase."
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