15/10/2026
AS TIME GOES BY - Songs with a life of their own by David Wilson
Some songs seem to have made their own arrangements with the calendar. Fashions change and decades pass, yet a familiar melody can still bring back a person, a place or a moment we thought we had forgotten.
That was the territory of As Time Goes By, the OAK concert at the Hermanus Civic Auditorium on Sunday afternoon, 11 October. Soprano Louise Howlett joined pianist Albert Combrink and double bassist Dylan Tabisher for a programme whose familiar melodies and varied moods suited a leisurely Sunday afternoon in front of an enthusiastic audience.
From Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust and Burton Lane’s Old Devil Moon to medleys of Cole Porter and George Gershwin, the selection offered plenty of opportunities for recognition and rediscovery. Jerome Kern’s All the Things You Are and Rainbow Connection broadened the musical journey, while La Vie en Rose brought the world of Edith Piaf into the auditorium.
It is an inviting musical world, where a clever lyric can conceal a bruised heart and a love song can leave room for a smile. Howlett’s performances of Stephen Sondheim’s Send in the Clowns and La Vie en Rose were particularly uplifting highlights. The bittersweet reflections of the former and the romantic spirit of the latter offered different kinds of emotional appeal within the same afternoon.
Howlett studied singing at the Royal College of Music and has built a career across classical music, jazz and Broadway. Fine Music Radio listeners will also know her as a presenter. That breadth of musical experience was well matched to a programme moving between American standards, musical theatre and French song.
A particularly memorable moment came with Tabisher’s introduction to Luiz Bonfá’s A Day in the Life of a Fool. Here the double bass stepped into the spotlight, showing how effectively it can command attention in its own right. For a musician equally at home in jazz and in the percussion section of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, it was a welcome opportunity to hear this aspect of his versatility.
Throughout the concert, Combrink’s piano accompaniment was a constant musical thread, connecting the changing moods of the songs and supporting Howlett’s performances. His experience across opera, chamber music and popular repertoire made him an apt partner for this musical journey. Alongside Tabisher’s bass, the piano gave the voice a setting in which these songs could tell their stories.
The appeal of this repertoire lies partly in its economy. A few well-chosen words and a melody can say a great deal about longing, disappointment or the pleasure of falling in love. For an enthusiastic Hermanus audience, this was an uplifting way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Time may go by, but there is still pleasure in returning to songs that have accompanied so much of it.
Tickets for the next OAK concert which will feature UCT OPERA on 15 November, are now available from René du Plooy on 082 940 4238 or [email protected].
