|
David has managed to book Burnham Grammar School once again for
our annual Baroque Chamber Music playing day which I organise and,
if asked, coach. You are all welcome provided that you play an instrument
that would have existed in some form in the 17th/18th centuries
and your sight-reading is up to playing a reasonably demanding part
on your own. As usual solo singers are invited too, to sing with
obbligato instrumentalists. Owners of harpsichords and spinets are
particularly welcome and do not have to pay if they bring and tune
their instrument, even if they do not intend to play it themselves.
Pianists who would like to try playing a harpsichord or spinet will
be most welcome as we are sometimes short of keyboard players, and
as usual more violinists would be very helpful and make it possible
to include larger works. Pitch will be both 440 and 415 to cater
for everyone. If you wonder if the day is suitable for you, do get
in touch. Details are on the form.
If you have any items for the agenda or apologies for the AGM (5pm
at Chesham White Hill Centre on Saturday 9th October after the first
day of the Rosenmüller vespers weekend) please email or post
them to me as soon as possible. I hope it will be our usual short
AGM, as some of us are going to the Little Missenden Festival concert
in the evening. Details of this are in the Concerts list and when
last I heard some tickets were still available.
Although you should continue to think of the second Monday of the
month as the deadline for copy for Tamesis, this October and November
the deadline will be the third Monday, and there will be no December
issue.
streetmap.co.uk has changed again. If you look there for a map for
the October weekend with Philip Thorby you now need to enter just
"Chesham" as a UK place. Then click on large map and look
for White Hill and the community centre just above the station.
The main road running through the town is the A416.
When I got back from my holiday and looked at all the bookings
I was dismayed by my first impression that they were all from sopranos!
Luckily this was just the first few envelopes I opened, but there
is still rather a shortage of tenors, basses and violins, and more
sackbuts would be good too. The continuo section looks good. Sorry,
no more recorders. Otherwise, if you offered to bring an instrument
as well as sing, don't forget to bring it!
I've been sent a leaflet for the London Bach Festival Bachfest
in November. It includes concerts (some free), masterclasses, lectures
and a Bach cantata service at the Dutch church. Phone 01883 717372
for a copy of the leaflet, as it would take too long for me to type
them all out. There are also details on www.bachlive.co.uk
Victoria Helby
Chairman's Chat
The "Music in Rome" workshop proved to
be almost entirely devoted to Morales, who only worked there for
a few years, but it was wonderful music so nobody demanded a refund!
The Josquin chanson Mille Regretz has been familiar to me for most
of my musical life, and whilst I have an idealised concept of what
it should be like, this has not often been realised in practice.
Part of the problem stems from it being available in the Susato
Danserye, beloved of crumhorn players. Need I say more? My belief
that it is a most sublime melody was justified by the fact that
I had not tired of it even after several hours of the Missa Mille
Regretz where it is ever present, particularly in the soprano 1
part where it is quoted verbatim. At one point I suggested that
the ladies singing that line might like to swap with the seconds
for a change but the idea was turned down. I could imagine a future
workshop based on the various levels of regret: Plusiers Regretz,
Mille Regretz, Cent Mille Regrets and perhaps even Je ne Regret
Rien* but perhaps Piaf isn't early enough for TVEMF?
Loquabantur Jacob showed a different side of Morales but was just
as beautiful even in our al fresco performance in the street outside
the church. David Allinson was his usual exuberant self, with constant
encouragement (and even some non-food similes) and I felt he was
not disappointed in us. I certainly enjoyed the day, even if I was
singing a baritone part which (because of an upward transposition
of a tone) turned out to go up to high G.
I am looking forward very much to the Rosenmüller Vespers
as I thoroughly enjoyed the music by him that was done at a Beauchamp
Summer School a while ago. Philip Thorby's events are always popular
so sign up quickly if you haven't already done so.
David Fletcher
Opportunities to make music
On Saturday 2nd October at the delightful 18th Century
United Reformed Church in Litchfield, from 2 to 5pm (during a weekend
festival of all things 18th century in Lichfield) the West Gallery
Music Association will be rehearsing and performing under the direction
of Sally Drage. The session is called Dancing in the Aisles: Church
music like you've never heard it before. Singers and instrumentalists
welcome.
Further details from Sally Drage [email protected]
(01260 270217)
TVEMF member Maria Harjani has sent me details of the 2004-2005
season of the Hampstead Music Club. They have masterclasses and
workshops, opportunities to take part in chamber music, instrumental
and singers' evenings, a motet and madrigal group and a number of
special events. For more details and a leaflet contact Maria on
020 7278 1991 [email protected] or look at ttp://www.camdennet.org.uk/groups/hmc/
News of Members' Activities
Samuel Scheidt Anniversary Concert - Tuesday 5 October
One of the many anniversaries in 2004 is that of the central German
organist and composer, Samuel Scheidt, a pupil of Sweelinck and
one of the founders of the mature German style that led to Bach.
Our member, Andrew Benson-Wilson, will be giving a recital of some
of the organ works from Scheidt's monumental Tabulatura Nova (1624)
at the Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street in Mayfair on Tuesday
5 October, starting at 1.10. Admission is free, but there is a retiring
collection.
Another TVEMF member Alison Bowler has sent the following
invitation:
If you are near Bond Street on Thursday 28th October at 6pm do come
along to a short, free, early evening concert given by Pellegrina
at the former Trinity College of Music building. It will take place
in the MacLaren Hall at 'The School of Economic Science', 11-13
Mandeville Place, London W1U 3AJ. The concert will consist of music
by Scarlatti, Telemann and Handel - all welcome!
Victoria Helby
Job Offered
Baroque ensemble based in London requires young professional
instrumentists - singers
and choir are welcome. Tel. (eve): 0208 5638267 or email: [email protected],
by sending CV.
|