Biggs, Ó Cuinneagáinat the John Field Room in the NCH is reviewed

"I took up singing because I thought it would be easy." So quipped Conor Biggs before the last song in this remarkable recital, the first in a three-part, unconventional exploration of the song traditions of Germany, France and Russia - "What Makes a Great Song?" About 26 years ago that same song, Wolf's Fühlt meine Seele, had been the first thing Biggs sang in public. "What can I have been thinking of?" he said.

All that says much about Biggs as an artist. Although he is brimming with wit, he's a driven man, incapable of doing anything superficially; his intelligence and vocal ability mean he can deliver what he strives for. In this case it was a conspectus of German song from the middle of the 18th century to the early 20th century.

Biggs wants his audience to absorb "the inner music of the spoken word" as well as the song, for we often get to know a poem through the song, whereas it should be the other way round. So he introduced each item with informal yet deeply informed comments about the poet, the composer and their backgrounds, complete with projected pictures to personify the names. He talked briefly about the music, with a helping hand from Pádhraic Ó Cuinneagáin's piano playing. He read the poems with the flair of a native German speaker. And then, in the song, poetry was transformed into music.

This was a fluent, complete package, thanks to the impeccable partnership between these two musicians, and to Biggs's remarkable ability to inform his audience without talking down. Along the way we encountered music familiar and rare, by Beethoven, Neefe, CPE Bach, Mozart, Zelter, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Strauss and Wolf. And among these were some rare gems, including a beautiful Passionslied by CPE Bach.

Series continues next Monday with a programme of French song