Class - 18th September

Large ensemble pieces:

• 'Toy Symphony' by Leopold Mozart
• 'Sinfonia' and 'Choral' from 'Christmas Oratorio' by J. S. Bach

Small group items:

• 'Maya' by Ian Clarke - Heather, Helen & Angela
• 'Concerto in A Minor' by Telemann - Penny, Judy, Annabel, Edward, Diana, Kath, Rod, David, John & Imogen
• 'Sarabande' & 'Gavotte' from 'Holberg's Time by Grieg (Arr. H. Brammer) - Alison, Emily, Theresa, Polly & Mike

Class - 24th October

It was a busy week...we whizzed through our ensemble pieces...then a few small group pieces, before squeezing in our AGM...whilst enjoying chocolate cake and champagne in honour of Mike's birthday! (Minutes of AGM will be added to the 'Committee' page on here)

Small group items:

• 'Bouree' & 'Gavotte' from 'Orchestral Suite No. 3' by J. S. Bach (Arr. H. Brammer) - Alison, Helen, Theresa, Nicola, Mike, Kath, Rod, John, Polly & Margaret
• 'Anitra's Dance' from 'Peer Gynt' by Greig - Heather, Penny, Judy & Angela
• 'Trio No. 1' by J. S. Bach - Maureen, Diana & Imogen

Class - 7th March

We had quite a busy evening...not long to go before the concert so we needed to get through most of our concert pieces, as next week we'll be spending half of our rehearsal with the Songbyrds. 

Small group items:

• 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' by Bach (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Imogen, Maureen, Margaret & Angela
• Schumann Flute Trios (Arr. Eileen Clews) - Alison, Penny & Judy
• 'Sarabande & Gavotte' from 'Holberg's Time by Grieg (Arr. H. Brammer) - Annabel, Theresa, Kath, John, Rod & Polly)

Summer Music @ Annabel's

We had our second summer music gathering of the holiday last night, this time hosted by Annabel. Again the music was selected at random...here's what we played:

• 'Tirolese' from 'Soirees Musicales' by Benjamin Britten
• 'Promenade' from 'Pictures at an Exhibition' by Mussorgsky
• 'Chanson de Matin' by Elgar
•  'Waltz' by Shostakovich
• 'Sinfonia' from 'Pulcinella' by Stravinsky
• 'Polka' from 'Jazz Suite No. 1' by Shostakovich
• 'Minuetto' from 'L'Arlesienne' by Bizet
• 'Capriol Suite' by Peter Warlock
• 'Allegro moderato' from 'Brandenburg Concerto No. 3' by J. S. Bach
• 'Peer Gynt Suite No. 1' by Greig

After playing, we enjoyed a delicious feast...I don't have a photo of us this time, but did snap the cakes before they were devoured!

Thanks for a lovely evening Annabel...see (some of) you again next week!

Summer Music @ Heather's

We had our first 'Summer Music' session of the holiday last night, hosted by Heather. It was a lovely evening, and we entertained Heather's neighbours with a selection of some of our old favourites...picked at random. Here's what we played:

• 'Allegro Assai' from 'Brandenburg Concerto No.2' by J S Bach
• 'Hallelujah Chorus' from 'The Messiah' by Handel
• 'Folksongs from Somerset' from 'English Folksong Suite by Vaughan Williams
• 'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen' by Grieg
• 'Sicilienne' by Faure
• 'Romance' from 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik'by Mozart
• 'Chanson de Nuit' by Elgar
• 'Overture' to Suite in B minor by J S Bach
• 'Alla hornpipe' from 'The Water Music' by Handel
• Overture to 'The Marriage of Figaro' by Mozart

After the music making, there was of course some food and drink to be enjoyed...a most delicious spread! You can see the aftermath in this panoramic photo below:

(Click the photo for a better view)

Thank you to Heather for a wonderful evening...I can confirm that you will recieve a 5* rating!

PS - I have updated the dates for next term on the 'Term Dates' page (click the tab at the top of the page to view).

Spring Concert

Wow...what a fantastic evening we had last night at our Spring concert! It was a bit of a new venture for us, we shared the concert with a newly formed all female group of singers (also based in Ealing), called The Songbyrds. We are planning to include some joint items with The Songbyrds in our future concerts, but this was just to 'test the water'! We also welcomed some new audience members, with some members of the Church's congregation, and also friends and family of The Songbyrds. If you weren't there...here's what you missed:

Programme

'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen' – Grieg (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

'Rondeau' – Purcell (Arr. H. Brammer)

Annie Kaufmann, Penny Layland (Flute); Diana Locke (Tenor Recorder); Kath Russell (Violin); and Polly Kaufmann (Viola)

'The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba' – Handel

Angela Ayton & Imogen Locke (Piano)

'Adagio' & 'Allegro' from Trio Sonata in G Minor – Finger

George Goodall, Imogen Locke (Treble Recorder); Margaret Willson (Cello); and Joan Goodall (piano)

'Song of the Tree of Life' – Vaughan Williams

The Songbyrds

'Duo' – Busoni

Heather Loebl, Helen Brammer (Flute); and Angela Ayton (Piano)

Sonata da Chiesa – Corelli

Annabel Crowe, Polly Kaufmann (Oboe); and Mike Winterburn (Bassoon)

'Berceuse' – Faure

Heather Loebl, Annie Kaufmann & Penny Layland (Flute)

'Ave Verum Corpus' – Faure, Mozart & Elgar

The Songbyrds

'Vivace' & 'Allegro' from Trio Sonata in F Major – Telemann

Imogen Locke (Treble Recorder); Diana Locke (Tenor Recorder); Margaret Willson (Cello); and Joan Goodall (Piano)

'Alice' – Geoffry Russell-Smith

Helen Brammer, Theresa Hitching & Dermot Stone (Clarinet)

'Divertimento' (Romance, Intermezzo, Serenade & Burlesque) – Paul Harris

Heather Loebl (Flute); Annabel Crowe (Oboe); Helen Brammer (Clarinet); Mike Winterburn (Bassoon); and Angela Ayton (Piano)

'Autumn Leaves' – Kosma & Prevert

The Songbyrds

'All that Jazz' – Kander & Ebb

The Songbyrds

'The Hebrides Overture' – Mendelssohn (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

Phew...looks like it was a bit of a marathon, but the concert was no longer than our previous ones...just a lot more slick with the changeovers! And our rendition of 'The Hebrides Overture' was (and I'm quoting a couple of our audience members here) 'triumphant'! Well done everyone - you really excelled yourselves!

I do have a few photos...apologies for the blurryness of some of these...I blame my photographer!

I'm also going to add these to our 'Photos' page, which you can find at the top of the blog...we've also added some information about The Broken Consort, written by Kath, to the 'About Us' page, which was also included in the programme for last night's concert.

Oh...and it wouldn't be a Broken Consort concert, and party (thanks Angela and Mike for once again being excellent hosts!) without some cakes:

Nearly forgot...as usual, admission was free to our concert, but we did have a retiring collection in aid of the Church's fund to restore their Walker organ (more details can be found here), which raised a massive £75!

Class - 31st March

It was all systems go last night for the final rehearsal before our concert next week. The large ensemble pieces are sounding great, and I think we're all looking forward to (but perhaps a little nervous of) having some new audience members to perform to.

Small group items:

• 'Alice' (she's lost the Mad Hatter!) by Geoffry Russell-Smith - Helen, Theresa & Dermot
• Finger Trio Sonata in G Minor - George, Imogen, Margaret & Joan
• 'Rondeau' by Purcell - Annie, Penny, Diana, Kath & Polly
• 'Divertimento' by Paul Harris - Heather, Annabel, Helen, Mike & Angela
• Telemann Trio Sonata in F Major - Imogen, Diana, Margaret & Joan
• Corelli Sonata da Chiesa - Annabel, Polly & Mike
• 'Berceuse' by Faure - Heather, Annie & Penny
• 'The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba' by Handel - Angela & Imogen
• 'Duo' by Busoni - Heather, Helen & Angela

Phew! I'm not sure we've ever managed to get through so much in one evening!

Class - 24th March

With only two more rehearsals left before the concert, it was time to be brave and try 'The Hebrides Overture' without me standing at the front keeping time...and it worked!

Small group items:

• 'Berceuse' by Faure - Heather, Annie & Penny
• Corelli Sonata da Chiesa - Annabel, Polly & Mike
• Telemann Trio Sonata in F Major - Imogen, Diana, Margaret & Joan
• 'Maple Leaf Rag' by Scott Joplin - George, Kath, Theresa, Dermot & Angela

And very briefly at the end:

• Busoni 'Duo' - Heather, Helen & Angela

Class - 17th March

We were back to almost full strength last night, and with only a couple more rehearsals to go before our concert, 'The Hebrides Overture' and 'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen' are taking shape nicely...although we may find it more difficult to stay together when we try them without me standing at the front stamping my foot in time....but that's a job for next week!

Small group items:

• 'Rondeau' by Purcell - Annie, Penny, Diana, Kath & Polly
• Finger Trio Sonata in G Minor - George, Imogen, Margaret & Joan
• 'Alice & the Mad Hatter' by Geoffry Russell-Smith - Helen, Theresa & Dermot
• 'Divertimento' by Paul Harris - Heather, Annabel, Helen, Mike & Angela 

Class - 10th March

We were a rather select gathering this evening...but still managed to make good progress with the final, definitive version of 'The Hebrides Overture', despite being lacking in the bass department.

Small group items:

• Boismortier Sonata in A Minor - George, Heather, Penny & Joan
• C.P.E. Bach Trio Sonata in G Major - Diana, Kath & Imogen
• 'Summer Sketches' by Alfred Castle - Annie, Polly, Dermot & Theresa

Class - 3rd March

We welcomed back Penny this evening from her travels...and launched her straight in at the deep end with The Hebrides Overture & Wedding Day at Troldhaugen. They're beginning to take shape, and we even managed some dynamics whilst sight-reading!

Small group items:

• 'Berceuse' by Faure - Heather, Annie & Penny
• 'Alice & the Mad Hatter' by Geoffry Russell-Smith - Helen, Theresa & Dermot
• Janitsch Sonata da camera in Bb major - George, Annabel, Polly & Imogen
• Heinichen Trio Sonata in G major - Diana, Kath, Margaret & Joan

Class - 17th February

We're still working away on 'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen', and 'The Hebrides Overture'...which received it's third installment this week.

Small group items:

• Vivaldi 'Sarabanda' and 'Giga' - George, Imogen, Diana & Joan
• Grieg 'Sarabande' and 'Gavotte' from 'Holberg's Time - Annie, Judy, Kath, Theresa, Dermot & Margaret
• Busoni Duo - Heather, Helen & Angela
• Corelli Sonata da Chiesa - Annabel, Polly & Mike

It's half-term next week, so no class...but I'm sure everyone will be practising furiously! ;0)

Class - 10th February

We had a visitor this evening, Krystyna - she joined in our rehearsal this evening playing treble recorder in both the full ensemble, and one of the smaller groups. I'd added an 'extension' to 'The Hebrides Overture', which means we're now swamped with pages and pages of music, and it's still not finished! We're still gaining speed in 'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen', though not all at the same rate!

Small group items:

• Heinichen Trio Sonata in G Major - Diana, Kath & Joan
• The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, by Handel - Annie, Polly, Theresa, Dermot & Mike
• Finger 'Trio Sonata in G Minor - George, Krystyna, Margaret &Angela
• J. C. Bach Trio Sonata in G Major - Heather, Judy & Imogen

Class - 3rd February

We embarked on a 'Hebridean' adventure this evening...it's not finished yet, but I thought we'd try the opening third of Mendelssohn's 'Hebrides Overture'. We did so with a good degree of success...although Annabel thought we sounded 'out of tune' at the end...turns out they were 'intentional dischords'! We're picking up speed in Wedding Day at Troldhaugen', although not everybody appreciated it!

Small group items:

• J. C. Bach 'Quintet in G major' - Annie, Annabel, Kath, Polly, Margaret & Joan
• Vivaldi 'Concerto in G minor' - Judy, Diana, Mike & Angela
• Mendelssohn 'Prelude' (Opus 7, #2) - Heather, Imogen, Theresa & Dermot

Class - 27th January

I think I must be making the arrangements too easy - the 'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen' is already beginning to take shape, on only the second rehearsal.

Small group items:

• Telemann Concerto in F - Kath, Polly, Margaret & Imogen
• 'Cuckoo Quartet' by Ronald Hanmer - Annie, Diana, Theresa & Dermot
• Hotteterre Trio Sonata in C 'Le Romain' - George, Judy & Joan
• Divertimento by Paul Harris - Heather, Annabel, Helen, Mike & Angela

As well as making music this evening, we also celebrated Theresa's birthday...she's in good company...Mozart was born on this day in 1756. She was very naughty...and hadn't told any of us, and spoilt us with yummy cakes and bubbly - Happy Birthday Theresa!

Class - 20th January

It was lovely to see (nearly) everyone again after the Christmas break, and we got straight back into the swing of things with one of the new arrangements for this term - 'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen' by Grieg. It's great to be able to position ourselves in our old familiar set-up for rehearsals...and with the lovely new keyboard (thank you George & Joan!), we have a more balanced sound.

Small group items:

• Scarlatti 'Sonata in F Major' - George, Kath, Diana, Margaret & Joan
• Albinoni 'Adagio' - Judy, Theresa, Dermot & Imogen
• Dusek 'Partita' & Tartini 'Two Sonatas' - Annabel, Polly & Mike
• Busoni 'Duo' & Doppler 'Fantaisie sur des motifs Hongrois' - Heather, Helen & Angela