Creative, Spiritual Tensions Essential to "Mystical Songs"

When a celebrated piece of sacred music is performed next Friday inside the Singletary Center, there’s a lot of room for conflict.  The composer of the Five Mystical Songs was Ralph Vaughn Williams, who was an agnostic. But,Vaughn-Williams uses poetry written in the 16-hundreds by an Anglican priest.

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Noel Bouley, Baritone.

There’s also a potential for conflict inside the concert hall…this performance includes the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, student-choruses from five colleges and universities, and baritone Noel Bouley.   Bouley was trained at the Cincinnati Conservatory for Music and is just wrapping up a gig with the Kentucky Opera. With so many players, he admits there’s a risk for conflict, but it’s a necessary risk.  Boulay spoke with reporter Charles Compton.