Hastings Unitarian Meeting Place

Saturday 8 October 2016

It’s Hastings Week and the final recital of this year’s series brought a record turn out to the Unitarian Meeting Place for Stephen Page’s concert. There wasn’t a seat left empty – including all the spares normally kept in the gallery.

He opened with an arrangement of Suppe’s Overture Poet and Peasant and then moved into four pieces by Bach – though none of them J S Bach. The first was a Prelude and Fugue in Eb by J Christoph Bach, followed by J M Bach’s Dies sind die heil’gen zehn Gebot. The composers were J S Bach’s uncles but there is no connection between the genius of JS and the tongue-in-cheek PDQ, who’s Prelude and Fugue in C minor includes references to Roll out the barrel and Beethoven’s 5^th!

On a more serious note Richard Jones Toccata in D minor has a solid feel to it and brought wide registration. Jean Langlais Priere may have been written for harmonium but sits very comfortably on the Snetzler – the oboe snarling gently out of tune.

We have heard a lot of Handel from this instrument over the years but it is always a pleasure to do so and so three short movements from the Fireworks Music were very welcome.

Boellmann is so well known for the Suite Gothique that is was refreshing to hear some of his other music – in this case three pieces from Six Characteristic Pieces of which the Offertoire is particularly effective.

Robin Milford is not a familiar name but his two dances are gently compelling, bringing a moment of calm before the end.

It is not often the encore comes before the final work, but in this case Stephen squeezed in The Teddy Bears’ Picnic before going out in a blaze of glory with Walford Davies’ RAF March Past.

It is always a pleasure to hear Stephen play and the large and enthusiastic audience were obviously keen to hear him again as soon as possible.

Saturday 3 September 2016

Sussex Strings give only two concerts a year, all their work is for charity and they meet irregularly to rehearse. That the quality of playing is as high as it is is therefore a tribute to their individual expertise and dedication.

Their approach is a simple one – to please their audience and enjoy themselves while doing so. The choice of music is easy on the ear, the works short and tuneful – and there is nothing wrong with that, particularly on a late summer’s evening.

They opened with a romantic reading of Handel’s Entry of the Queen of Sheba and three movements from Bach’s Orchestral Suite No3 including the familiar Air on a G string. The most challenging work of the evening followed with Finzi’s beautiful Romance. The drifting line and gentle harmonies are quite difficult to bring off and there were some moments of hazy playing from the second violins, but happily this did not disturb the overall effect.

Ungar’s Ashokan Farewell brought them back on to more familiar ground and prepared for a jolly English Suite  from local composer Paul Lewis. This is quintessentially English music in the vein of Malcolm Arnold with is quiet Meditation and very English Jig.

After a brief interval we heard the Chaconne from Purcell’s The Fairy Queen and another piece by Paul Lewis. On Pevensey Levels is a wistful, gentle evocation – a sort of Sussex answer to the Lark Ascending.

Sibelius regarded his Andante Festivo as one of his finest compositions but I doubt if he ever expected it to be played at quite such a fast pace. His own recording of 1939 seems to last into eternity by comparison.

The evening ended with John Rutter’s Suite for Strings based on English folk songs, the lilting arrangement of O waly, waly being particularly effective.

It may not be usual to single out individuals under these circumstances but the ensemble as a whole obviously owes a great deal to its leader Simon Smith, and there is sterling work from the single bass player Leslie Morrison whose underpinning is essential to the whole enterprise.

A brief encore in the form of Halleluia brought a fine evening to an end, sending us all away happy – even if the rain had started while we were inside.

Simon Bell has been a regular and popular contributor to these concerts over the last few years. He never fails to entertain, presenting  a selection of music well-suited to the All Saints’ Willis, in an accessible but no-nonsense manner. His careful introductions give interesting background and points to listen for without being overlong or too technical. As on previous occasions he presented a well balanced programme of fine performances of the familiar and the less so.

Opening in grand fashion with the ecclesiastical pomp that is Widor’s Marche Pontificale , we were immediately seized by the power of this instrument and also this performer’s command of its resources as he shifted easily between the grand and the subtler passages. Simon’s Bach playing has been a highlight of previous recitals and on this occasion he gave an impressive performance of the substantial and less familiar Prelude & Fugue in E minor (“Wedge”). He has a wonderful ability to maintain a lightness of touch with this music that can otherwise easily become stodgy and austere.

A lovely contrast followed in the form of the little known Scherzo by Rousseau, a delightfully frothy romantic interlude, with beautiful registrations selected throughout. A commanding performance of Franck’s well-known Choral No 3 in A minor ended the first half. I personally felt his technically correct abrupt end to phrases could have benefitted from some artistic licence in this acoustic. However, the performance was exciting and emotional, with the excessive contrasts this piece affords, and the chance to highlight this organ’s beautifully haunting oboe stop.

The second half was made up of mostly very familiar items, each well played and as before demonstrating an affinity with the resources and makeup of this particular instrument. An arrangement of Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance March No 4 was followed by Alfred Hollins’ A Trumpet Minuet. Vierne’s evocative Clair de Lune allowed Simon to conjure with some mellifluous tones , including the Claribel Flute. Boellmann’s popular Suite Gothique brought the programme to a close with its contrasting movements including the delicate Priere a Notre Dame and the frantic and theatrical closing Toccata.

As an encore we were treated to the playful Mozart Changes by Zsolt Gardonyi. Simon gave a superb performance of this entertaining piece that moves from the classical style into a delightful laid back jazz romp before returning to its source.

Another evening of quality performances. Simon will open the 2017 series.

Stephen Page

Monday 8 August, 2016

In his first visit to Hastings Simon Hogan, assistant organist at Southwell Minster, gave us an evening of assured performances in a well chosen programme. The first half was given an interesting structure with the two movements of Bach’s Prelude & Fugue in Eb bookending four other items spanning around four hundred years and all from these shores.

The first of these, William Byrd’s A fancie for my Ladye Nevell, an extended florid free composition for manuals, demonstrated Simon’s brilliant mastery of the manuals and also showed, as in the pieces that followed, his ability to conjure beautiful and authentic registrations from this instrument. S S Wesley’s Andante in F gave Simon the chance to produce some English romantic sounds both delicate and robust. The lyrical Allegretto grazioso by Frank Bridge showed off Simon’s sensitive side. A change of mood came with William Mathias’ Toccata giocoso, and demonstrated again Mr Hogan’s affinity with a wide range of musical styles.

A very welcome feature of this recital was the giving over of the second half to a complete organ symphony.  Widor’s Symphony No 6 in G minor is a Romantic tour de force. Simon gave an entertaining and convincing performance of this piece, at times majestic, sometimes lyrical and often virtuosic including the demanding extended pedal flourishes.  His command of the All Saints Willis was superb throughout and he demonstrated agility and technical brilliance as well as a sensitivity for conveying this music on an instrument very different from that for which it was originally written.

The enthusiastic audience was treated to a Scherzo from Vierne’s Symphony No 2 as an encore. This light but by no means slight offering brought this superb concert to an end. It is to be hoped that this will not be the only visit to Hastings for Simon Hogan and his excellent assistant who also worked incredibly hard throughout the evening.

Stephen Page

Daniel Moult, 18^th July 2017

The second recital in this popular series was a feast of enthusiasm and brilliance. From the outset Daniel radiated a passion for all of the music he presented. Spanning classical, romantic and more modern forms and a range of mood and colour this was an incredibly well constructed programme presented with panache.

Daniel’s exciting performance of Widor’s Allegro from Symphonie VI got the proceedings off to a cracking start and this was immediately followed by a complete contrast in the form of Saint-Saens’ Elevation, beautifully showcasing some of the organ’s softer registers. Throughout the evening often humorous and informative introductions were given which gave added insight to the pieces which followed. I particularly appreciated the background to Mozart’s Fantasia in F minor/major, a piece I have heard on numerous occasions but which suddenly came to life in a new way. The Trio in G by Bach and selections from Handel’s Water Music brought the first half to a solid conclusion, all demonstrating this organist’s ability to use the resources of this organ to the full in a convincing and apparently effortless way.

Vierne’s well-loved Finale from Symphonie No 1 opened the second half in an energetic and convincing performance, the repeated manual motifs requiring a lot of effort on this particular instrument but presented with ease. I was particularly pleased that the final four items were all unfamiliar to me and all post 1900. I really would like to see more of the performers in this series bringing us lesser known repertoire and new sound worlds. Francaix’ Suite Carmelite used some inventive registration to bring the representations of the six characters to life and included some delightful rubato playing. Van Oortmerssen’s setting of Psalm 72 was a lovely inclusion, in a haunting and expansive performance given by this one-time student of the composer.  Wammes’ Toccata Chromatica (echoes of Sweelinck) was brilliantly executed with a lightness and rhythm and with rapid manual and pedal movement and use of many pitches.  The final piece was Harold Britton’s Variations on “I got rhythm” –  a tour de force which allowed Daniel to demonstrate once again his affinity with this instrument, and his ability to be at one with a range of styles. His outstanding pedal technique, sometimes playing four parts on the pedals, was shown here but also his musicality and sensitivity in more sublime passages. This was an outstanding end to a highly entertaining evening.

Despite having worked so hard and clearly having worked up a sweat on this sultry evening the audience was treated to an encore which wisely slowed the tempo and softened the mood. A lovely contrast to what had just gone before. I hope we will see a return from this fine organist before too long.

Stephen Page

All Saints Church, Hastings, 11 July 2016

Daniel Cook got the new series off to a blazing start last night with a powerful and authoritative reading of Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue in G minor BWV542. Performers for the rest of the series are going to have to be exceptional to match the sense of musical line and responsive registration he brought throughout the evening. Staying with the baroque period we heard the rather austere Voluntary for Double Organ by Purcell, with its fine range of steely tones.

Moving forward rapidly to the romantic era we then heard Bairstow’s elegant Scherzo in Ab, with its plethora of soft tones in the opening section, and Stanford’s Intermezzo on an Irish Air which proved to be gently wistful. Daniel Cook has recorded all of Stanford’s organ works and it is a pity they are not more widely known, both for their musical delights and their challenges to performers.

The first half concluded with three of Parry’s Chorale Fantasias. Daniel Cook was able to demonstrate his exemplary pedalling in O God our help and brought us to the interval with a furious attack on The Old Hundredth.

The link between Bach and Mendelssohn was made very clear in his performance of the latter’s Prelude and Fugue in C minor, which opened the second half. It has a grandiose flair which seemed in keeping with the darker tonalities of Reger’s Ave Maria. The main work in the second half was a finely sculpted reading of Franck’s First Chorale, which produced some unusual registration even as it blazed towards its climax.

In slightly lighter vein the evening moved to a close with Gigout’s jolly Scherzo and the familiar Carillon de Westminster by Vierne.

Next week brings Daniel Moult with works by Widor, Mozart, Handel, Francaix and Britton.

Christ Church, Hastings, Saturday 9 July 2016

The summer concert drew together Hastings Philharmonic Choir and Sedlescombe School Choir, leading to a packed audience in Christ Church, with large numbers of small children.

Over the last twenty five years Marian Hame has worked tirelessly to maintain a high standard of choral singing in Sedlescombe and this was very obvious from their crisp diction and exemplary balance in Anderson’s Father in my life I see and Townend’s lyrically pleasing setting of The Lord is my Shepherd.

The children’s choir also joined HPC to sing the Pie Jesu in Faure’s Requiem which concluded the programme. The adult choir was in its usual fine form and the Sanctus was particularly pleasing. Conductor Marcio da Silva provided the baritone solo for Hostias and Libera me adding to his reputation as a solo singer, following his recent Schumann recital.

If the concert had simply been the items noted above all would probably have been well but there was a severe miscalculation over the nature of the event. The afternoon had opened with Carissimi’s Jephte. This is a lovely work providing a subtle setting of the tragedy with a profoundly moving final chorus. Unfortunately it sounded under-rehearsed, with soloists ill-prepared. Though the programme listed a cast there was no indication of who was who, as no text was provided and no detailed programme note. As a result the audience became restive during the first half-hour of the performance, and it was obvious many families were having to work extremely hard to keep smaller children engaged.

Given that HCP now has a very high reputation for their performances this was unexpected and potentially off-putting for any members of the audience coming to choral music for the first time.

Where this could have been a delightful afternoon encouraging children in the joys of adult choral music, this may have seriously dented their interest.