Class - 20th June

We're still working away on our large ensemble pieces, and everything is starting to come together nicely...there are even some dynamics starting to creep in!

Small group items:

• 'Variations on "La ci darem la mano" from Mozart's "Don Giovanni" by Beethoven - Heather, Helen & Mike
• 'Send in the Clowns' by Stephen Sondheim - Theresa, Nicola, Kath, Rod, John, Diana & Angela
• Concerto No. 5 by Pepusch - Alison, Judy, George, Imogen, Margaret & Joan

Class - 9th May

We were split across two locations this week...with some of us at Kath's house, and the rest at Mike & Angela's. We weren't able to rehearse our large ensemble pieces this evening, but that did mean that we had plenty of time for lots of small group pieces...here's what we played:

At Kath's House:

• Sonata in G Major by Tartini - Alsion, Judy & Margaret
• Trio Sonata in G Minor by Telemann - George, Kath, John & Joan
• Concerto No. 5 by Pepusch - Alison, George, Judy, Kath, John, Margaret & Joan

At Mike & Angela's:

• Sonatas in F Major & G Minor by Finger - Imogen, Helen, Diana, Nicola & Angela
• Prelude & Fugue by J. S. Bach - Heather, Polly & Mike
• 'Slavonic Dances' by Dvorak - Diana, Helen, Nicola & Mike
• Quartet in C Minor by Janitsch - Heather, Imogen, Polly & Angela 

Thank you to our hosts for a lovely evening!

Class - 31st January

After a couple of weeks of record beating attendances, for one reason or another, we were back down to more modest numbers last week. Despite some gaps, our large ensemble pieces are progressing well, and we look forward to our first rehearsal with the Songbyrds at the end of the month.

Small group items:

• 'Rondeau' from 'Abdelazer' by Purcell (Arr. H. Brammer) - Penny, Helen, Annabel, Theresa, Anya, Nicola, Kath, John & Mike
• 'Valse des Fleurs' by Kohler - Heather, Alison & Angela
• Trio Sonata in G Minor by Pepusch - Maureen, Polly & Imogen

Class - November 22nd

We're into the final preparations for our end of term concert now...the large ensemble pieces ('Les Patineurs' (by Waldteufel), 'Mack the Knife' and 'Tango Ballad' (by Kurt Weill) are sounding good...and we were busy practising lots of the smaller group pieces too.

Small group items:

• 'Kegelstatt Trio' by Mozart - Helen, Polly & Angela 
• 'Plaisir d'amour' by Martini - Penny, Margaret & Imogen 
• 'Let it Snow/Winter Wonderland' (Arr. James Hayes) - Heather, Annabel, Theresa, Dermot & Mike
• Quintet in F by Pepusch - George, Maureen, Judy, Kath, John & Joan

Class - 31st May

We were greeted by a bellowing organ on arrival in the Church last last night...I thought we'd attracted a new member, but it was merely the Church's organist trying to get to grips with the new electric beast before this Sunday's service! There were lots more notes to get through this evening...with yet more 'Crown Imperial' and a finalised 'Olympic Fanfare & Theme'. I seem to have created a couple of monsters...but I'm sure with a bit of practise, they'll come good in the end!

Small group items:

• 'Allegro' (from 'Sonata K279') by Mozart (Arr. James 'Red' McLeod) - Helen, Theresa & Dermot
• Trio Sonata in D minor by Quantz - Heather, Annabel, Mike & Angela
• Concerto No. 5 by Pepusch - Imogen, Penny, Diana, Kath, Margaret & Joan

It's half-term for us next week...so, see you in a fortnight.

Concert - 22nd March

What a lovely evening we had last night...the weather was warm...the music was good...and the audience was large - perhaps swelled by those coming to support the Songbyrds, with whom we shared the concert.

If you weren't there...here's what you missed:

Programme

'Fantasia on Greensleeves' - Vaughan Williams (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

'Scottish Dance No. 3' – Malcolm Arnold (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

'It Don't Mean a Thing' – Duke Ellington

'California Dreamin'' – The Mamas & The Papas

'Fields of Gold' - Sting

The Songbyrds

Directed by Benjamin Cox, accompanied by Jonathan Pease (Piano)

'Grave, Largo & Allegro' from Trio Sonata in G minor – Telemann

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

'Scherzo & Trio in G minor' – Schubert (Arr. Emerson)

Heather Loebl, Penny Layland (Flutes); Polly Kaufmann (Oboe); Helen Brammer, Theresa Hitching (Clarinets); & Mike Winterburn (Bassoon)

'Andante & Allegro Moderato' from 'London Trio No. 1 – Haydn

Heather Loebl, Judy Skelton (Flutes); & Margaret Willson ('Cello)

 

'42^nd Street' – Harry Warren

'Hallelujah' – Leonard Cohen

'Close to You' – Burt Bacharach

The Songbyrds

Directed by Benjamin Cox, accompanied by Jonathan Pease (Piano)

'Largo, Adagio & Allegro' from Quintet in F – Pepusch

Judy Skelton, Penny Layland (Flutes); George Goodall (Treble Recorder); Diana Locke (Tenor Recorder); Margaret Willson ('Cello); & Imogen Locke (Piano)

Concerto in D minor – Telemann

Emily Johnson, Kath Russell (Violins); Polly Kaufmann (Viola); Margaret Willson ('Cello); & Angela Ayton (Piano)

'Golden Slumbers' & 'Charlie is my Darling' from 'Four Old Tunes – Gordon Jacob

Heather Loebl (Flute); Annabel Crowe (Oboe); Theresa Hitching (Clarinet); & Mike Winterburn (Bassoon)

'Chariots Comin'!'

'Moon River' – Henry Mancini

'If My Friends Could See Me Now' – Cy Coleman

The Songbyrds

Directed by Benjamin Cox, accompanied by Jonathan Pease (Piano)

'Irish Tune from County Derry' & 'Shepherd's Hey' – Percy Grainger (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

I will be uploading the footage to our YouTube Channel as soon as I can...please bear with me - it's not a quick process! 

I'll be back to let you all know when the videos are all uploaded, but for now I'd just like to say thank you to everyone for your hard work again this term and making the concert such a success!

Class - 15th March

Last night's class was the last rehearsal before our concert next week...so we were busy, busy, busy! As well as rehearsing all of our small group pieces, I filmed our large group items for our Youtube channel...although I had a bit of a fail with that...my camera turned itself off, so I didn't get everything, so will have to record the rest, along with the chamber pieces, at the concert.

Small group items:

• 'Four Old Tunes' by Gordon Jacob - Heather, Annabel, Theresa & Mike
• Telemann Concerto in D minor - Emily, Kath, Polly, Margaret & Angela
• Quintet in F by Pepusch - Judy, Penny, George, Diana & Imogen
• Telemann Trio Sonata in G minor - Imogen, Diana, Margaret & Joan
• 'Scherzo & Trio in G minor' by Schubert - Heather, Penny, Polly, Helen, Theresa & Mike
• Haydn 'London Trio No. 1' - Heather, Judy & Margaret
• Boismortier Quartet in A minor - George, Emily, Kath & Angela

Class - 23rd February

We've had an interesting evening. When we arrived at the Church, our usual entrance displayed a sign stating it was closed...no problem...we have the key...but no...it was bolted on the inside...thankfully, the other door, (which is usually bolted) was not, so we were able to get in. Upon entering the building, it became obvious why the door was not to be used...there was a grand piano wedged in front of it! Apparently, some work had been done to the floor, and the piano was not to be moved back into it's usual position until the floor had hardened...so it had to remain in the doorway, which made for some interesting ensemble work!
We were all delighted to welcome George back this evening...although we did rather throw him in at the deep-end with some of our large ensemble pieces!

Small group items:

• Quintet in F major by Pepusch - Judy, Penny, Diana, George, Theresa & Imogen 
• Concerto in D minor by Telemann - Emily, Kath, Polly & Angela
• Trio Sonata in D major by Boismortier - Annabel, Mike & Joan

Class - 2nd February

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr...it was a bit brass monkeys in the Church at last night's rehearsal! With only a couple of the heaters producing any heat, the Church's heating was no match for the sub-zero temperature outside...but we bravely carried on despite our frozen fingers! Our large ensemble pieces are all improving...we even attempted the accelerando at the end of 'Shepherd's Hey'!

Small group items:

• Quintet in F by J. C. Pepusch - Judy, Penny, Diana, Helen, Dermot & Imogen
• 'Flower Duet' from 'Lakme' by Delibes (Arr. H. Brammer) - Annabel, Theresa & Mike
• Suite in A minor by Telemann - Heather, Emily, Kath, Margaret & Angela

Class - 10th November

Tonight's class was a little bit different...with the Church being used for a rehearsal for the licensing of their new vicar, we decamped to two of our members' houses to rehearse some small chamber group pieces. It worked quite well...although I needed to run back and forth to hear what was going on everywhere...thankfully the houses were quite close together!

Here's what we played at Kath's:

• Quartet in D minor 'Tafelmusik' by Telemann - George, Imogen, Heather*, Margaret & Joan
• Trio in D minor by Boismortier - Emily, Diana & Kath
• Trio Sonata in G minor by Pepusch - George, Diana & Imogen 
• Trio Sonatas by Corelli - Emily, Kath, Margaret & Joan
• And apparently something by Handel that I didn't hear...

And at Angela & Mikes:

• Woodwind Trio by M. Hedien - Penny, Judy & Mike
• 'Vocalise' by Rachmaninov - Theresa, Dermot & Angela
• 'Fantasy' by Faure - Heather*, Helen & Angela
• 'Serenade for Seven' (with only 5 players!) by Ronald Hanmer - Penny, Judy, Theresa, Dermot & Mike

 * I don't know how Heather managed to be in two places at once?!

Thank you to our hosts for a most enjoyable evening!

Class - 29th September

We welcomed back Emily this evening...it was lovely to have her playing with us again! As well as continuing with the 'Christmas Oratorio', we began working on a new piece...'Elizabethan Serenade' (by Ronald Binge)...and there was much discussion as to whether it had once been used as the theme music to radio or TV programme in the dim and distant past! Well, thanks to Wikipedia, I can put everyone out of their misery, and reveal that it was indeed...it was the theme for 'Music in Miniature' on the BBC Light Programme...long before my time!

Small group items:

• 'Vocalise' by Rachmaninov - Theresa, Dermot & Angela
• Concerto in C by Vivaldi - Heather, Annabel, Emily, Mike & Imogen
• Quintet in G minor by Pepusch - George, Penny, Judy, Kath, Margaret & Joan

Class - 15th September

A new term usually means new music, but this evening we 'revisited' an old favourite...a selection of movements from J. S. Bach's 'Christmas Oratorio'. We first played it in 2005, and will be performing it, along with some new arrangements, in our concert at the end of term. We also welcomed a new member this evening (Anya on clarinet), and we may have another couple of prospective members coming for a taster session soon!

Small group items:

• Concerto No. 5 in C Major by Pepusch - George, Heather, Penny, Diana, Margaret & Imogen
• Trio Sonata in G Minor by Boismortier - Polly, Mike & Angela
• Trio Sonata in G Major by Telemann - Judy, Kath & Joan
• 'Caprice for Clarinets' by Clare Grundman - Helen, Theresa, Dermot & Anya