Summer Music @ Maureen's

Our final summer music session of the year was hosted by Maureen...here's what we played:

• 'Scottish Dance No. 3' by Malcolm Arnold
• 'Elizabethan Serenade' by Ronald Binge
• 'Alla Hornpipe' from 'The Water Music' by Handel
• 'Allegro assai' from 'Brandenburg Concerto No. 2' by J. S. Bach
• Overture to 'The Mastersingers of Nurenburg' by Wagner
• 'Mack the Knife' from 'The Threepenny Opera' by Kurt Weill
• 'Toccata' from 'Pulcinella' by Stravinsky
• 'Serenade' by Derek Bourgeios
• 'Crown Imperial' by William Walton
• 'The Old Castle' from 'Pictures at an Exhibition' by Mussorgsky
• 'Overture Miniature' from 'The Nutcracker' by Tchaikovsky

Once again we enjoyed some delicious food (and drinks) after our exertions...many thanks to Maureen for having us!

Summer Music @ Polly's

We had our summer music of the holidays a couple of weeks ago, hosted by Polly. There was quite a large group of us, and using our usual 'lucky dip' method of selecting the music for the evening, this is what we played:

• Theme from Blackadder' by Howard Goodall
• 'Tango Ballad' from 'The Threepenny Opera' by Kurt Weill
• 'Polka' from 'Jazz Suite No. 1' by Shostakovich
• 'English Dance No. IV' by Malcolm Arnold
• 'Crown Imperial' by William Walton
• 'Elizabethan Serenade' by Ronald Binge
• 'Scottish Dance No. 3' by Malcolm Arnold
• 'Sinfonia' from 'Pulcinella' by Stravinsky
• 'Cantique de Jean Racine' by Faure
• 'Overture Miniature' from 'The Nutcracker' by Tchaikovsky
• 'Menuetto' from 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' by Mozart
• 'Shepherd's Hey' by Percy Grainger

Phew! Once we'd played that lot we had really earned our feast! Thanks to Polly for a wonderful evening...next up is Judy!

Concert - 5th December

Despite the freezing temperature (both outside and inside the Church!), our Christmas concert was well attended, by regulars and some new audience members.

Here's what we played:

Programme

'Overture Miniature' from 'The Nutcracker'

– Tchaikovsky (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

'I – Vivace' from 'Concerto in D Minor'

- J. S. Bach (Arr. Jasmine Choi)

Heather Loebl & Helen Brammer (Flutes); & Angela Ayton (Piano)

'Berceuse' – Fauré (Arr. Jan van der Goot)

Alison Shaw, Penny Layland & Judy Skelton (Flutes)

'Gavotte' & 'Bourée' from 'Orchestral Suite No. 3'

– J. S. Bach (Arr. H. Brammer)

Alison Shaw (Flute); Annabel Crowe (Oboe); Theresa Hitching & Nicola Thompson (Clarinets); Mike Winterburn (Bassoon); Kath Russell, Rod Lackey & John Marshall (Violins); Polly Kaufmann (Viola); & Margaret Willson ('Cello)

'Chanson de Matin' & 'Chanson de Nuit'

- Elgar (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

'Adagio & Allegro' from 'Trio I' – J. S. Bach

Maureen Snell (Treble Recorder); Diana Locke (Tenor Recorder); & Angela Ayton (Piano)

'Sugar Plum Swing Out' from 'Nutcracker Surprise' – Tchaikovsky (Arr. Duncan Stubbs)

Theresa Hitching, Helen Brammer & Nicola Thompson (Clarinets)

'Andante & Vivace' from 'Quartet in D minor

– Tafelmusik' – Telemann

Imogen Locke & George Goodall (Treble Recorders); Heather Loebl (Flute); Margaret Willson ('Cello); and Joan Goodall (Piano)

'Waltz of the Flowers' from 'The Nutcracker'

– Tchaikovsky (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

As is traditional, we enjoyed a post-concert gathering wonderfully hosted by Mike & Angela, with lots of delicious food & drink, and fabulous company. Videos of all of the performances from the concert can be seen here on our YouTube Channel.

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 - 17th October

Large ensemble pieces:

• 'Overture Miniature' & 'Waltz of the Flowers' from 'The Nutcracker' by Tchaikovsky (Arr. H. Brammer) 
• 'Chanson de Matin' & 'Chanson de Nuit' by Elgar (Arr. H. Brammer)

Small group items:

• 'Sonata IV' by Corelli - Emily, Kath, John, Helen & Angela
• 'Sonata in D Minor' by Schickhardt - Heather, George, Imogen, Mike & Joan
• 'Three movements of Handel' - Penny, Maureen, Annabel, Theresa, Nicola & Diana

Class - 10th October

We continused working on our ensemble pieces...'Overture Miniature' and 'Waltz of the Flowers' from 'The Nutcracker' and 'Chanson de Matin' and 'Chanson de Nuit' by Elgar...there was definite improvement  in everything!

Small group items:

• 'Dance of the Blessed Spirits' by Gluck (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Alison, Theresa, Nicola, Kath, Rod, John, Polly & Mike
• 'A Spring Rondo' by Mozart - Penny, Judy & Angela
• Schickhardt Sonata in C Minor - George, Imogen, Diana, Margaret & Joan

Class - 3rd October

We started work on our final ensemble piece this week ('Overture Miniature' from 'The Nutcracker')...speed may be the challenge with this one!...and continued with the other pieces too.

Small group items:

• J. C. Bach 'Quintet in D Major' - Heather, Annabel, Polly, Mike & Angela
• 'Three Movements from Mr Handel' - Alison, Judy, Theresa & Diana
• Haydn 'London Trios' - Penny, Imogen & Helen
• Keller 'Sonata in C' - George, Maureen, Kath, John, Rod & Joan

Class - 26th September

All went well as we continued to work on 'Waltz of the Flowers' and 'Chanson de Matin' and 'Chanson de Nuit' at this week's class...there even seemed to be some dynamics creeping in!

Small group items:

• Quintet in D Minor by Keller - George, Imogen, Maureen, Kath, John, Margaret & Joan
• 'Dance of th Hours' from 'La Gioconda' by Ponchielli (Arr. Terry Kenny) - Penny, Theresa, Nicola & Mike
• Concerto in D Minor by J. S.Bach (Arr. Jasmine Choi) - Heather, Helen & Angela

Class - 19th September

We started a brand new term this week, which means some new music ('Waltz of the Flowers' from The Nutcracker' by Tchaikovsky) and revisiting some old favourites ('Chanson de Matin' and 'Chanson de Nuit' by Elgar). It was lovely to see (almost) everyone again after the summer break, and we welcomed back Penny who was absent last term.

Small group items:

• Trio Sonata in G major by Telemann - Penny, Kath, Diana & Angela
• Sonata in F major by Scarlatti - George, Imogen, Maureen, Margaret & Joan
• Two Minuets by Beethoven (Arr. H. Brammer) - Alison, Annabel, Theresa, Nicola, Rod, John & Mike

Class - 24th November

We had another 'whistle stop tour' through our pieces for next week's concert at our class last night. In addition to working on our large ensemble pieces...which I filmed and will be adding to our YouTube channel as soon as I find the time...we managed to get through most of the small group items too.

Here's what we played:

• 'Caprice for Clarinets' by Clare Grundman - Helen, Theresa & Dermot
• 'Subjects Obey Army Farm' by Donaldson & Kahn (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Emily, Kath, Polly, Diana & Imogen
• Woodwind Trio by M. Hedien - Penny, Judy & Mike
• 'Serenade for Seven' (with 6 players this week) by Ronald Hanmer - Penny, Judy, Annabel, Theresa, Dermot & Mike
• 'Chants sans paroles' by Tchaikovsky (Arr. Sobrielo) - George, Margaret & Angela
• Trio in D minor by Boismortier - Emily, Diana & Kath
• Quartet in D minor 'Tafelmusik' by Telemann - George, Imogen, Heather, Margaret & Joan
• Something by Handel that I didn't catch the name of... - Annabel, Polly & Angela

Class - 22nd September

Ooops - so sorry for not posting this sooner...I wrote it Thursday night, but then lost my internet connection when I went to publish it, and have just realised it was still sitting in the drafts folder...anyway, better late than never!

We had another visitor for a 'taster session' this evening...Katie on treble recorder (who will bring down the average age of the group dramatically if she joins!), as we continued working on the excerpts from J. S. Bach's 'Christmas Oratorio'. We've also been exploring some of the music that has been donated to us by the group's previous tutor (Denis Sobrielo), and all of this evening's small group items came from his collection:

• 'Serenade for Seven' by Ronald Hanmer - Penny, Judy, Annabel, Theresa, Anya, Dermot & Mike
• 'Chants sans paroles' by Tchaikovsky (Arr. Denis Sobrielo) - George, Margaret & Angela
• 'Quintet in D Minor' by Keller - Imogen, Katie, Polly, Kath & Joan

Class - 23rd June

It was a very 'select' gathering this evening...but we ploughed on undeterred by the moments of silence in our large ensemble pieces!

Small group items:

• 'Chants sans paroles' by Tchaikovsky - George, Margaret & Angela
• Telemann Trio Sonata in G Minor - Diana, Polly & Joan
• 'Salut d'Amour' by Elgar - Penny, Thersa & Mike