Richard Alston Dance Company at Norwich Theatre Royal

On the evening of Saturday 22nd February 2014 I attended the Richard Alston Dance Company's performance of Contemporary Dance at Norwich Theatre Royal. For Richard Alston every dance is a love affair with his chosen music and this was a night full of wonderful dancing and music.

The programme at Norwich Theatre Royal matched the beauty of Mozart with the exhilaration of Benjamin Britten and the lightning energy of Bang on a Can All-Stars. Commissioned to celebrate the centenary of Britten, the brand new Rejoice in the Lamb was danced to Britten's superb setting of Christopher Smart, whose poetry is fuelled by both religious fervour and such eccentric details as the poet's cat Jeffrey!

The programme also featured the duet from Unfinished Business, to the adagio of Mozart's Sonata K533. Lachrymae, set to Britten's compassionate and tender music for viola and piano played live, spun emotional variations on a gentle song by John Dowland. The evening ended with Martin Lawrence's Madcap which was fast-paced, thrilling and set to the driven music of ultra-cool New York band, Bang on a Can All-Stars. This was a fantastic night of Contemporary Dance at Norwich Theatre Royal from the Richard Alston Dance Company which was greatly enjoyed by the enthusiastic audience. My favourite piece was Madcap.

Britten Sinfonia's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings

On the evening of Sunday 17th November 2013 I attended the Britten Sinfonia Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings concert at Norwich Theatre Royal. Britten Sinfonia’s recent recording of Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with Mark Padmore has been acclaimed worldwide and these artists performed the work in this fascinating concert.

Violinist Pekka Kuusisto directed the orchestra in an illuminating programme of works which also included a new work by Judith Weir, commissioned by the Britten Pears Foundation and Royal Philharmonic Society, to celebrate Britten’s centenary and the Bicentenary of the Royal Philharmonic Society. The programme was jointly devised by Pekka Kuusisto and Britten Sinfonia.

The programme consisted of Three Songs for Tenor and violin (and drone from orchestra) - Nico Muhly, Fourth movement from Quartet no. 4 - Bartok, Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal - Britten, Lighthouse - Tuur, I give you the end of a golden string (world premiere tour) - Judith Weir, Individualisierte Höhemessung der Lagen (from Partita fur Paul) - Arne Nordheim, Material in E flat for violin and drone from orchestra - Nico Muhly, Third movement from Quartet no. 4 - Bartok, Kanon - Berg arr Schnittke, Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten - Arvo Part, God Music from Black Angels - George Crumb, Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings - Britten.

Britten Sinfonia were joined by Mark Padmore - tenor, Pekka Kuusisto - violin and Stephen Bell - horn on a wonderful night of classical music at Norwich Theatre Royal. They played twelve works by nine different composers which proved to be a varied and enjoyable concert. The performance took the audience to new and unfamiliar places.

Sistema in Norwich at Epic Studios

On the evening of Friday 5th July 2013 I attended the Sistema in Norwich concert at Epic Studios, Norwich which was part of the Young Norfolk Arts Festival. The Sistema in Norwich Martineau Orchestra were accompanied by a Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Quartet with guest appearances from In Harmony Liverpool and Lambeth.

The programme consisted of Sistema Norwich Choir - Singing songs from Britten's Friday Afternoons and other Sistema favourites, Live webstream performance with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic In Harmony Children's Ensemble - Kingston Shuffle, Tudor Dance and Ode to Joy, The Martineau Children's Orchestra - Lightly Row, Playful Pizz, Skye Boat Song, Sugar Plum Fairy and Pachelbel's Canon, Performance by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Quartet, Combined ensemble Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Norwich and Lambeth Quartets - Yoska, Allegro and Andantino and Martineau Children's Orchestra - Slavonic Dance, Chariots of Fire, Romeo and Juliet, Turn the World Around and Star Wars.

Sistema in Norwich is a new and independent programme based on the Venezuelan El Sistema music education and social change programme, made famous by the world renowned Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra. El Sistema has inspired children all over the world and helped them to improve their life chances. Sistema in Norwich are currently working in Larkman and Catton Grove Primary Schools.

This was an inspiring and fantastic night at Epic Studios which included a world first, with two Sistema orchestras performing simultaneously over a live weblink. There was some wonderful music played by the children from Norwich, Liverpool and Lambeth which was greatly enjoyed by the enthusiastic audience.

Eve Daniell and Tom Primrose at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On Saturday 22nd June 2013 I attended the Eve Daniell and Tom Primrose Summer Recital at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich. I just made the start of the Recital after watching The Lions beat Australia with a two minute dash from Timberhill.

The programme consisted of Mio Caro Bene from Rodelinda - Handel, An die Musik - Schubert, Standchen - Schubert, La Diva de L'Empire - Satie, Schlagende Herzen - Richard Strauss, Befreit - Richard Strauss and On this island - Britten.

British/Canadian soprano Eve Daniell is attending the Royal Academy of Music in London. She attended the University of Victoria and holds performing diplomas in voice and piano from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has performed as Witch and Mother in Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel and Sorceress in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas.

Tom Primrose is studying piano accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music. Before this he was Assistant Organist and Director of the Girls' Choir at Norwich Cathedral. He is director of the Symphony Choir at the UEA, working regularly with the Symphony Orchestra. He is also Artistic Co-Director of the Southrepps Classical Music Festival.

This was a wonderful Recital at St. Peter Mancroft Church with both Eve Daniell and Tom Primrose giving splendid performances. Thanks to both of them for standing in at short notice for this Mancroft Music Summer Recital. It was fantastic to hear Benjamin Britten's On this island in his Centenary Year.

Celebrating Benjamin Britten at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On Saturday 8th June 2013 I attended the Celebrating Benjamin Britten Summer Recital at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich which was part of Familiar Fields, celebrating Benjamin Britten's life and music in Norfolk and Suffolk. The Choristers, Girls' Choir and Choral Scholars of St. Peter Mancroft along with Julian Haggett - organ/piano and Jody Butler - director performed a programme of Benjamin Britten songs.

The most celebrated British composer of the 20th century, Benjamin Britten was a giant of the world stage whose roots were firmly in East Anglia, his music inspired by its landscapes and sea. He was born in Lowestoft on 22nd November 1913, schooled at Greshams, Holt, gave numerous performances in Norwich and lived most of his life in Aldeburgh. Under the Familiar Fields banner, musical and artistic organisations across Norfolk and Suffolk have come together to promote events celebrating the centenary.

The programme consisted of Friday Afternoons, The Salley gardens, Little Sir William, Prelude and Fugue on a theme of Vittoria (Organ solo), The Ash Grove, O Waly, Waly and Three two-part songs. This was a wonderful celebration of Benjamin Britten which began with Friday Afternoons, which is a set of 12 songs composed by Benjamin Britten between 1933 and 1935. The simple songs, with witty piano accompaniments, are dedicated to Britten’s schoolmaster brother, Robert, and the boys of Clive House preparatory school, Prestatyn, a school in which choir practice and singing lessons regularly took place on a Friday afternoon.

The next two songs performed were were The Salley gardens which is a Irish tune with words by W.B. Yeats and Little Sir William, a Somerset folksong. Julian Haggett performed the organ solo before The Ash Grove, a welsh tune and O Waly, Waly a folksong from Somerset were sung. The recital finished with Three two-part songs which included The Ship of Rio which ends with a scampering of monkeys across the sand. This was a splendid event at St. Peter Mancroft Church which I greatly enjoyed.

Britten and Bridge celebrated at St. Andrew's Hall

I was back at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival on Monday 13th May 2013 when I attended the Philharmonia Orchestra's concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich which featured David Parry - conductor and Mary Plazas - soprano. This was a celebration of Benjamin Britten's centenary and also a tribute to his links with the Festival.

The programme consisted of Suite, The Sea - Bridge, Our Hunting Fathers - Britten, Sinfonia de Requiem - Britten and Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes - Britten. In 1924 Britten heard The Sea, by his teacher, Frank Bridge at the Festival and was knocked sideways. Our Hunting Fathers was commissioned for the 1936 Festival, where it was conducted by Britten himself at St. Andrew's Hall.

The Sea was composed by Frank Bridge in 1910-11 at Eastbourne. This piece is in four movements, each with its own descriptive title. Seascape, Sea-form, Moonlight and Storm. Benjamin Britten's Our Hunting Fathers was the first of the composers acknowledged orchestral song-cycles. This was a collaboration with the poet W.H. Auden, who provided texts for the opening and closing songs.

Sinfonia da Requiem was written by Britten in 1940 as one of several works commissioned from different composers by the Japanese government to mark the 2600th anniversary of the founding of the Japanese dynasty. The work was considered inappropriate for the occasion and was politely rejected. The first performance of Sinfonia da Requiem was given in New York in 1941.

Britten's Four Sea Interludes received its premiere at the Cheltenham Festival in 1945 only a few days after the first performance of Peter Grimes. The Interludes are taken, with slight modifications, directly from the opera. This is one of the composers most popular pieces of music.

It was a brilliant experience to be at St. Andrew's Hall for this concert which celebrated Benjamin Britten's historic links with the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. This was a night to celebrate wonderful music and the Philharmonia Orchestra were on top form to ensure that this will go down as one of the highlights of this year's Festival.

Triorca Orchestra at St. Andrew's Hall

On the evening of Wednesday 10th April 2013 I attended the Triorca International Youth Orchestra's concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. The orchestra is made up of young musicians from Norfolk, Rheinland-Pfalz and Novi Sad. This was their first UK appearance conducted by their Artistic Director, Nicholas Daniel.

The programme consisted of Wavefront Silhouette - Xiaotian Shi, Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra - Britten and Symphony No.5 - Shostakovich. Triorca's Patron, Louis de Bernieres was narrator for Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra which was performed as a tribute to the composer in his centenary year.

Wavefront Silhouette is a new work commissioned for the orchestra from Aldeburgh young musician, Xiaotian Shi. This piece was inspired by the sea and creates the sense of a journey going through the different emotions. Music has always been a common language and the sea links so many different countries, peoples and cultures together.

Benjamin Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra was written in 1946 as the soundtrack to a film entitled The Instruments of the Orchestra featuring the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent. The theme is taken from Henry Purcell's incidental music to Abdelazar, composed in 1695 for a revival of Aphra Behn's play originally written in 1676.

Shostakovich composed his Fifth Symphony in 1937 and was first performed in December of that year. The premiere was a huge success, and received an ovation that lasted well over half an hour. The composer had to be tactful in his approach by appearing to yield to pressure from the State while still retaining his artistic integrity.

This was a wonderful evening at Norwich's St. Andrew's Hall with the Triorca Orchestra providing us with a splendid programme of music played brilliantly with lots of enthusiasm. It was great to see this orchestra perform and they provide an inspiration to lots of people.

Aspects of Love at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On Friday 15th March 2013 I attended the Aspects of Love concert from The Oriole Singers at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich. This lunchtime concert party featured a choral suite from the operetta by Andrew Lloyd Webber arranged by Francis Shaw. There was a retiring collection for Christian Aid.

The Oriole Singers were conducted by Martin Wyatt with Accompanist Heather Wyatt. Beverley McInnes was guest soloist at this wonderful Friday lunchtime concert. The programme consisted of In the still and the peace of the moment - Martin Wyatt, Ode to the Five Senses - Martin Wyatt, Love is the sweetest thing - Ray Noble, Foggy foggy dew - Trad, arranged by Britten, Will she wait up for me? - T Sterndale Bennett, Happy Talk - Rodgers and Hammerstein, Reading from the 4th Century Greek Prelate Eusebius, Excerpt from Cello Suite No.3 - Britten and Vocal Selection from Aspects of Love - Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Aspects of Love tells the dramatic story of a young man's enchantment with an actress. The songs sang gave hints at the different phases of love. Infatuation, lust, joy and sorrow that this overwhelming emotion entails. Love changes everything, Flirtation - Mermaid Song, Courtship - The first man you remember, Elopement - Seeing is believing, Bliss - Chanson d'enfance, Cautionary tale - There is more to love, Gentlemanly rivals defer to each other - She'd be better off with you, Nostalgia - Other pleasures can't compare with you, Desolation - Anything but lonely and Summary - Love changes everything.

This was a fun and enjoyable concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church which proved to be the best place to spend Friday lunchtime as we experienced a wonderful programme of music. In the still and the peace of the moment be still and at peace with God.

The Academy of St. Thomas at St. Andrew's Hall

I was back in Norwich City Centre on the evening of Saturday 2nd March 2013 to attend the Academy of St. Thomas concert at St. Andrew's Hall. This performance featured violinist Lorraine McAslan who is currently a member of the London Soloist Ensemble, she also teaches at London's Junior Royal Academy of Music. The orchestra were conducted by Christopher Adey

The programme consisted of Karelia Overture - Sibelius, Violin Concerto - Britten and Symphony No.7 in A major - Beethoven. Part of the orchestra's philosophy is to offer diverse programming as well as more familiar repertoire.

In the Summer of 1892 Jean Sibelius visited the Karelia region of Eastern Finland. The region won his heart and the following year the Viborg Students Society at Helsinki University asked him to compose incidental music for a gala to help raise awareness of the culture of the Karelian people. Sibelius composed an overture and nine numbers, three of these formed the Karelia Suite Op.11.

Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto was completed in 1939 and was given its premiere in New York on 29th March 1940, by the Spanish violinist Antonio Brosa with the New York Philharmonic conducted by John Barbirolli.  A revised version of the concerto appeared in the 1950s, including alterations of the solo violin part prepared with the assistance of Manoug Parikian.

In 1811 Beethoven worked on his Symphony No.7 while staying in the Bohemian spa town of Teplice in the hope of improving his health. It was completed in 1812, and was dedicated to Count Moritz von Fries. It was first performed on 8th December 1813 at a concert for wounded soldiers in Vienna arranged by Maelzel, the inventor of the metronome.

This was another wonderful evening to be in attendance at St. Andrew's Hall as the Academy of St. Thomas treated us to a splendid programme of Classical Music. Lorraine McAslan and the orchestra played a brilliant Britten Violin Concerto while after the interval Beethoven's 7th Symphony was an uplifting piece to finish the concert.

Mendelssohn and Britten at St. Andrew's Hall

On the evening of Thursday 21st February 2013 I attended the UEA Symphony Orchestra and Choir concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich which featured Sharon Andrea Choa - Conductor, Simon Ireson - Piano, Lisa Cassidy - Soprano, Diana Moore - Alto and Andrew O'Brien - Tenor. The programme consisted of Piano Concerto No.1 in G minor - Mendelssohn and Spring Symphony - Britten. The Broadland Youth Choir performed on Britten's Spring Symphony.

The first of Mendelssohn's two numbered piano concertos was composed at the beginning of October 1831. Mendelssohn himself was the soloist at the first performance and his admission that it had been written in haste seem to be borne out by the fact that the piano part is left blank in the autograph full score.

Britten's Spring Symphony was composed between 1948 and 1949. It was commissioned by the Kusevitsky Foundation and dedicated to Serge Kusevitsky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. This was Britten's most ambitious choral work to date which he described its subject as the progress of Winter to Spring and the re-awakening of the earth and life which that means.

This was a wonderful evening of Classical Music at St. Andrew's Hall with Simon Ireson beginning the night in style as the soloist on Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No.1. Everyone put a lot of work and effort into Britten's Spring Symphony and we were rewarded with a wonderful and uplifting performance from the Orchestra and Choirs including the Broadland Youth Choir.

Britten and Friends at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On Saturday 16th February 2013 I attended the Keswick Hall Choir's Britten and Friends concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich which was part of the Familiar Fields events to celebrate Benjamin Britten's life and music in Norfolk and Suffolk in his Centenary Year. The choir were conducted by Christopher Duarte in a programme of choral and organ music written between 1930-1950 by Benjamin Britten, Lennox Berkeley, Aaron Copland and Francis Poulenc. David Dunnett performed on Organ and Piano.

The programme consisted of Festival Te Deum op.32 - Britten, A Festival Anthem op.21 no.2 - Berkeley, Salve Regina - Poulenc, Chorale after an old French Carol - Britten, Five Flower Songs op.47 - Britten, Old American Songs, first set - Copland, Prelude to They Walk Alone - Britten, Prelude and Fugue on a theme of Vittoria - Britten and A.M.D.G. - Britten. This programme was designed to reflect some friendships Benjamin Britten formed and cemented from 1930 to 1950.

This was a wonderful concert to attend with the Keswick Hall Choir putting on a performance of the highest quality to help celebrate Benjamin Britten's Centenary Year. I particularly enjoyed Britten's Five Flower Songs which included the Ballad of Green Broom which plays out a humorous story. There's none like the Boy that sold Broom, Green Broom. Another song I very much enjoyed was Copland's I Bought me a Cat. I fed my cat under yonder tree. My cat says fiddle eye fee.

The Keswick Hall Choir received a well deserved and loud round of applause at the end of the concert to show how much everyone in attended at St. Peter Mancroft Church had enjoyed their performance. This was definitely a night to remember, with the songs and music of Benjamin Britten and his friends filling this historic Norwich City Centre venue with lots of joy.

Epiphany Carol Service at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On Sunday 13th January 2013 I attended the Epiphany Carol Service at St. Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich City Centre. This was an evening service that started at 6.30 pm to celebrate the Baptism of Christ. O Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; Bow down before him, his glory proclaim; With gold of obedience and incense of lowliness, kneel and adore him: The Lord is his name. In the Church of England if Epiphany is observed on 6 January or before, the Baptism of Christ is observed on the following Sunday.

The Choir at St. Peter Mancroft Church sang a number of wonderful hymns including When Christ was born of Mary free - John Gardner, Bethlehem Down - Peter Warlock, A New Year Carol - Benjamin Britten, Tomorrow shall be my dancing day - John Gardner, Brightest and best - Malcolm Archer and The Journey - Simon Lole. During the service gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh were laid upon the alter.

The story of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan features in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Sing, ye heights of heav'n, His praises; Angels and Archangels, sing! Wheresoe'er ye be, ye faithful, let your joyous anthems ring, ev'ry tongue his name confessing, countless voices answering, evermore and evermore.

Four Sea Interludes at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich

On the evening of Saturday 8th December 2012 I attended the Norwich Philharmonic Orchestra's concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich which featured conductor Matthew Andrews and pianist Richard Uttley. The programme consisted of Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes - Britten, Piano Concerto No.2 - Rachmaninov and Symphony No.7 - Dvorak.

Benjamin Britten's Four Sea Interludes composed in 1945 is from his opera, Peter Grimes, which captures the unique spirit of the composer's beloved East Coast. This performance formed part of Familiar Fields a celebration across Norfolk and Suffolk of Britten's life and music in his centenary year. The Sea Interludes were developed from the six orchestral pieces that introduce the acts and link scenes in the opera. Besides being evocative portraits of the sea at different times of day and in different weather conditions, they are also psychological studies that chronicle the dramatic confrontation between Grimes and the townspeople of Aldeburgh, where the drama is set.

Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2 is one of the most popular pieces in the classical repertoire. Brilliant young pianist Richard Uttley took on the epic challenge of this great romantic masterpiece, which film fans will recognise as the emotional soundtrack to Brief Encounter. This piece was composed in 1900 after the composer recovered from a period of depression.

Dvorak's Symphony No.7 was written for the London Philharmonic Society in 1884 and was a wild success at its premiere with its showcase of sweet melodies and dramatic orchestral flourishes. This piece fulfilled his apparent aim to prove himself more then a purely nationalist composer.

This was a wonderful concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich which included the performance of Four Sea Interludes as a tribute to Benjamin Britten in his centenary year. Richard Uttley played a splendid Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 while Dvorak's Symphony No.7 was a brilliant finish to the concert.

Preparing for Christmas at St. Peter Mancroft

On Saturday 1st December 2012 I attended the Mancroft Music Autumn Recital Preparing for Christmas at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich. This event was part of Familiar Fields, celebrating Benjamin Britten's life and music in Norfolk and Suffolk. Performing were Julian Haggett - organ, Rhian Hanson - harp, Jody Butler - director. The Girls' Choir, Choral Scholars and Organ Scholars.

The programme consisted of Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist BuxWV 209 - Buxtehude, Creator of the stars of night - Mode iv melody arr. John Scott, Long ago prophets knew - Piae Cantiones arr. Malcolm Archer, How beautiful upon the mountains - John Stainer, Lift up your heads, O ye gates - William Mathias, Chancon dans la Nuit - Salzedo, Corpus Christi Carol - Britten, King Herod and the Cock - Britten, Praeludium in F - Lubeck, Nocturne from Suite for Organ - Clucas and A Ceremony of Carols - Britten.

This was a splendid concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich which took place the day before Advent Sunday, the beginning of the season of Advent, when we prepare for the coming of the Lord at Christmas, and ultimately the 'end of time'. The highlight was Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols which has become a tradition to be performed at St. Peter Mancroft to mark the start of Advent.

UEA Symphony Orchestra celebrate Britten

 
On Friday 23rd November 2012 I attended the UEA Symphony Orchestra's Britten Centenary Celebration Concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich with two unfinished masterpieces being performed. The orchestra were conducted by Sharon Andrea Choa. Soloists were Simon Smith - violin and Paul Silverthorne - viola. The programme consisted of Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in B minor - Britten and Symphony No.3 - Elgar/Payne.

Britten wrote the Double Concerto at the age of 18 but never realised the orchestral parts, nor sought to have it performed. The work only received its premiere in 1997, after completion by Colin Matthews. Anthony Payne (UEA’s Composer in Residence) had a great deal less material to work with – no score, but 130 pages of sketches – when he set out to complete Elgar’s unfinished 3rd Symphony, which also received its first performance in 1997, to great acclaim, at the BBC Proms.

This was a wonderful evening at St. Andrew's Hall to celebrate the centenary of Benjamin Britten which included a brilliant performance of his Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra. Anthony Payne was in attendance with Elgar's Symphony No.3 being performed. This piece finishes on a fade out ending, with a ghostly echo of the symphony's opening in the very last bars. Payne took this cue from The Waggons Passes, from Elgar's 1930 Nursery Suite.

Berlin Symphony Orchestra at St. Andrew's Hall

It was a wonderful start to the Norfolk and Norwich Festival 2012 at St. Andrew's Hall with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alexander Liebreich and cellist Julian Lloyd Webber thrilling a sold out concert on Wednesday 9th May 2012. I made my way to the venue with great excitement as I looked forward to the opening event of this year's festival.

The programme consisted of Overture, Der Freischutz - Weber, Cello Concerto in C major - Haydn, Serenata and Marcia from Cello Suite No1, Op.72 - Britten, Coriolan Overture, Op.62 - Beethoven and Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.68 - Brahms. This was a great and varied programme with something for everyone. My personal favourite being the Brahms Symphony No.1.

It was the ideal way to start the concert with Weber's Overture to the opera Der Freischutz which transported us to the enchanted depths of the German forests before Julian Lloyd Webber made his entrance to perform the pieces from Haydn and Britten. The cellist is a great virtuoso who gave a magical performance at St. Andrew's Hall on a night to remember.

After the interval the Berlin Symphony Orchestra treated us to Beethoven's Coriolan Overture which many observers have seen as the forerunner of the tone poem with its abrupt changes in dynamics and contrasting themes. Johannes Brahms took many years to compose his first symphony partly due to the composer feeling that Beethoven had expended nearly all the potential of that form. Brahms is one of favourite composers and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra performing his first Symphony made the night for me.

Preparing for Christmas

On Saturday 3rd December 2011 I attended the Mancroft Music Preparing for Christmas Autumn Recital at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich which was the last in the series. This recital was given by The Girls' Choir, Choral Scholars and Organ Scholars of St. Peter Mancroft.

The programme consisted of  In dulci jubilo BWV 729 - Bach, Adam lay ybounden - Ledger, Lift up your heads, O ye gates - Mathias, A round of carols - Kelly, Gottes Sohn ist Kommen - Bach, I saw three ships - Traditional carol arr. Anne MacDearmid, Vom Himmel hoch, da komm'ich her - Zachau and A Ceremony of Carols - Britten.

 This was a wonderful way to celebrate the arrival of Christmas and a delightful way to finish the current series of Autumn Recitals. A large crowd was in attendance who enjoyed splendid and enthusiastic performances from everyone that turned all our thoughts to Christmas.

Viva Voce Singers 20th Anniversary Concert

On Saturday 19th November 2011 I attended the Viva Voce Singers 20th Anniversary Concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich that provided an evening to celebrate the joy of choral singing. The BBC Radio Norfolk Choir of the Year 2011 were directed by Jody Butler as they celebrated this special anniversary.

The programme consisted of Jubilate Deo - Gabrieli, Sicut cervus - da Palestrina, Adoramus te, Christe - de Lassus, O quam gloriosum - Victoria, Hymn to St. Cecilia - Britten, Sing joyfully - Byrd, Justorum animae - Byrd, Ave verum Corpus - Byrd and Songs of Farewell, My soul there is a country, I know my soul hath power to know all things, Never weather-beaten sail, There is an old belief, At the round earth's imagined corners, Lord let me know mine end - Parry.

This was a wonderful evening of choral singing from this small and friendly Norwich based chamber choir who help to raise money for local charities. With a splendid set of 16th century European sacred music pieces to open the concert we were then treated to Benjamin Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia which is a setting of poetry by Britten's friend W.H. Auden.

Before the interval there was sacred music by William Byrd including Ave verum Corpus which is one of his best known pieces. Fully refreshed by a delicious apple juice during the interval I looked forward to Hubert Parry's Songs of Farewell. The choir were on top form as they performed this set of anthems which contain some of the most moving passages in Romantic a cappella music. 

Music for oboe and guitar Autumn Recital

It's 1pm on Saturday 12th November 2011 as I walk into a packed St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich for the Juliet Rickard and Ian Cooper's Music for oboe and guitar Autumn Recital.

Another Mancroft Music Recital where the people of Norwich can experience wonderful music in this historic City Centre Church. The programme consisted of Oboe Concerto - Cimarosa, Pan (from Six Metamorphoses) Op. 49 - Britten, Consolazione, Romance sans paroles Op. 25 - Coste, Les Regrets, Cantilene Op. 36 - Coste, La Montagnard, Divertissement Pastoral Op. 34 - Coste, Aaturias (from Suite Espanola Op. 47 - Albeniz, Psalm 23 (from Chichester Psalms) - Bernstein, Maria (from West Side Story) - Bernstein and Libertango - Piazzolla.

Juliet Rickard and Ian Cooper are both part of the Norfolk Music Service and were a delightful choice to play in this season's Autumn Recitals. This was Juliet Rickard's first public performance for two years while Ian Cooper performs regularly both with guitar and voice. I'm sure everyone present enjoyed their performance which took us from Domenico Cimarosa to West Side Story.