Feb. 25 program will feature Lolly Barton’s "Let This Be Heard."
By John Tredrea
On a Feb. 25 program of choral music by the Princeton Singers is a premiere performance of Pennington composer Lolly Barton’s "Let This Be Heard," a composition inspired by Oscar Wilde’s poem "The Ballad of Reading Gaol," published in 1896.
"It’s been brewing in my mind since I read Wilde’s poem while I was in college," Ms. Barton said. "The text portion of ‘Let This Be Heard’ includes excerpts from the poem. Its theme is man’s inhumanity to man."
The Feb. 25 concert, scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Princeton United Methodist Church, also includes American standards in the blues and jazz tradition and a work by Aaron Copeland. The concert is open to the public and free of charge. The church is on Nassau Street, at the corner of Vandeventer Avenue.
During the performance of "Let This Be Heard," the Princeton Singers, conducted by Artistic Director Steven Sametz, will be accompanied by the Classical Arts String Quartet.
Toby Goodyear of the Princeton Singers characterized Lolly Barton as "just one of those people who has contributed musically to many local community organizations. She taught music at Miss Mason’s School, arranged two local a cappella groups, Jersey Transit and Cahoots, and for choral voices. She also volunteers at the Mercer County Day Care Center for Alzheimer’s and memory loss clients."
Earlier compositions by Ms. Barton include "My Daughters’ Words" and "The Happy Prince," which also was inspired by Wilde. Scored for chorus and children’s choir, it has been performed for several years in a row at the All Souls Unitarian Church in Brattleboro, Vt.
Formed 19 years ago, the Princeton Singers have been featured on the BBC, National Public Radio. The group has recorded several CDs, the latest being "Old New Borrowed Blues."

