St Augustine’s Church, Bexhill, 7 December 2013

Christmas is here! It may be another two weeks or so until Christmas day but an evening of carols and Christmas music with Bexhill Choral Society is more than enough to convince us it is time to roll out the sherry and mince pies.

Their inter-active concert last night (I suppose one has to use the jargon these days) ranged widely. At the serious, more meditative end of the scale we heard a moving and eloquent rendition of the Shepherds’ Farewell from Berlioz’ L’enfance du Christ and an equally impressive Ring out wild bells by Percy Fletcher, a composer who is almost forgotten today but provided an immense amount of church and choral music early last century.

Equally important to the evening were modern compositions including two by composers not only living but present. John O’Dell’s The Shepherd’s Carol was given its premier. Unaccompanied, its gentle lyricism was most effective. I trust we will hear it regularly. Kenneth Roberts’ own carol Sleep my baby has a soft, syncopated rhythm which becomes hypnotic and soothing.

If there was a chance that some of the carols, particularly after wine in the interval, might help us to nod off, Cinque Port Brass kept us on our toes with Caribbean Christmas and Ken’s own Christmas Medley. Kenneth Roberts, both conducting and playing saxophone, had the lion’s share of the work, but Robert Aldwinkle not only played all the keyboard accompaniment but commuted deftly between keyboard in the nave and organ in the gallery.

Our own part came with familiar Christmas Carols and a final rendition of White Christmas.

This must be the only celebration where there is no problem mixing the sacred and the secular in such a heady concoction, to such enjoyable ends. It would be difficult to think of a similar concert at Easter which included sections of the St John Passion alongside In my Easter bonnet. Maybe one day….  BH

White Rock Theatre, Hastings, 3 December 2013

Co-opera have set their travelling Mikado in an opium den in 1901. This neat side-step allows for the absence of any chorus and the deft movement between characters for the cast of nine. In the event this all worked rather well and musically was of an impressively high standard.

The set was little more than a mish-mash of pieces for necessary props, and added little to the narrative, but lighting was always effective and made emotional sense of events as they unfolded.

Tristan Stocks and Llio Evans made an attractive pair as Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum, her singing of The sun whose rays being probably the best solo item of the evening. Sandra Porter’s Katisha, drawing heavily on Anthony Sher’s approach to Richard III, was fascinating and eventually remarkably sympathetic.

But it was the characterisation of Ko-Ko which commanded attention. Like a depressed Dr Who, David Jones’ tailor is ill at ease with the world around him, carrying a giant pair of scissors with which to carry out his executions. His singing of Tit Willow was exemplary and his ability to combine pathos with humour raised the whole evening to a different level.

The pit band were excellent, and John Andrews had no difficulty keeping the score moving fleetly. Sullivan’s nuances made their mark in a way often missed in larger scale performances.

This was a one night stand for the company, and the audience was rather thin. A pity, for this venture was well worth supporting and I trust we will see them again. BH

Christchurch Blacklands, Hastings, 30 November 2013

Advent is here and Stephen Page eased us into the season with music and carols to prepare us for the coming festivities. As Advent is a time of reflection, as well as often stressful preparation, it was good that so many of his pieces were reflective.

After a joyous fanfare by Gerre Hancock and the singing of Joy to the World he played Bach’s Wachet Auf and Daquin’s Noel; Grand Jeu et Duo. The former was familiar and given a gentle introspection while the latter twinkled merrily.

We sang O come, O come, Emmanuel before four linked pieces. Heathcote Statham’s Fantasia on Veni Emmanuel has wonderfully rolling English phrases and would be worth hearing again without the seasonal context. Eric Thiman’s Postlude on Adeste Fidelis seemed rather light-weight by comparison but Harrison Oxley’s Prelude: Whence is that goodly fragrance? brought a time of genuine meditation. Anyone who might just have nodded off while reflecting was soon awake thanks to the Dance of the Snowmen by Howard Blake.

Following Lo! He comes we came to the final set of pieces opening with William Lloyd Webber’s Rhapsody of Helmsley. While light in texture it aptly reflects the alleluias of the hymn. Philip Marshall’s Prelude on Forest Green proved as introspective as the Oxley had been and was followed by Samuel Wesley’s The Christmas carol varied as a Rondo – which turns out to be a set of variations on God rest ye merry with fine changes of tone and texture.

After a rousing rendition of Hark the herald angels sing, and Colin Mawby’s stirring variation we were ready for coffee and mince pies.

Blacklands organ is potentially a fine instrument but there are so many problems with it at present that not even an organist as skilful as Stephen could cover the difficulties he was having both in registration and individual notes. There may be no cyphers but it is the difference between driving a new car and one that is verging on the veteran and in need of a serious service and overhaul. There is only so much one can do.

The large audience/congregation were very appreciative of an event which subtly bridged the gap between service and concert, allowing both enjoyment of the music and time to reflect. Maybe this is a pattern for other events? BH

Hastings Philharmonic Choir, Ensemble OrQuestra & soloists 

Christ Church St Leonards-on-Sea, 16 November 2013

It is a brave local choral society that opts to perform a work like the Monteverdi Vespers. Under the expert leadership of Musical Director Marcio da Silva Hastings Philharmonic Choir gave an enthralling performance in the sumptuous setting of Christ Church St Leonards.

The highly proficient Ensemble OrQuestra led by violinist Eleanor Harrison which included theorbo and organ alongside brass, reed and strings, effectively matched the singers whether providing accompaniment or taking the lead.

Vocal soloists Sophie Levi, Emilia Radu, Irina Loskova, Michael Butchard, Nicholas Arratoon & Leo Selleck brought flair and emotion to the performance as they sang individually and in combination.

There were magical points during the performance when the whole ensemble produced a huge wall of sound. There were moments of pathos and sheer emotion and much contrast in dynamics and mood as the piece progressed. The interplay between instruments and singers and different vocal forces was at times very effective although at times there were discrepancies with timing between the various forces, particularly in the more fugual passages. There were also sometimes problems coping with the sudden time changes. The larger homophonic sections were most effective. There was much rhythm and vitality and some beautifully dramatic swelling at the end of certain sections.

It was a shame to break for an interval but the first half came to a very positive end with Nisi Dominus.

The second half was, on the whole, more assured and the Sonata Sopra Sancte Maria was an effective contrast. Throughout the leadership of Marico da Silva was positive and enthusiastic without being distracting to those of us in the large and enthusiastic audience.

Overall this was a very enjoyable performance and a chance to hear repertoire not normally heard locally. Hastings is fortunate to have a choir that is prepared to explore more unusual repertoire as well as old favourites. The next performance for the choir is Christmas Carols for All, Saturday 21^st December 5pm at St.Mary-in-the-Castle. SP

White Rock Theatre, 30 October 2013

Guys & Dolls has been a success since it first opened in 1950, and numerous professional productions, not least Richard Eyre’s oft revived National Theatre version, make it a particular challenge for any amateur company. That the Hastleons were able to provide a largely entertaining and enjoyable evening was a tribute to all concerned.

Maintaining a convincing American accent is far more difficult than it may appear, even given our over-familiarity with Americanisms via television and film. Andrew Pilcher was possibly the most convincing here, giving us a highly credible Nicely-Nicely who blossomed superbly for Sit down you’re rocking the boat and was never less than subtly convincing. Rick Baker and Kellie Kelly as Nathan and Adelaide made a strong impact when on stage and sparked well off each other. Her ability to create a rounded character as well as the extrovert entertainer at the Hot Box was impressive.

Kenny Giles sang well as Sky but on the first night was not as relaxed as he might have been. This may equally apply to Robyn Nash as Sarah Brown. While her acting and spoken dialogue carried well and convincingly – particularly in Havana – her singing was tight and often shrill. The amplification may have been at fault here, for there were times she seems more relaxed and the voice was more on centre. Her duet with Adelaide in the final moments of the score – Marry the Man with its Sondheim-like overtones – was the best thing she did.

There are a large number of smaller parts which make heavy demands on a small company, and they were lucky to have Leslie Adams for Arvide’s single but very important solo. The dancers obviously enjoyed themselves and created a sense of a society at ease with itself.

David Sismore’s production moved smoothly and balance between stage and Clare Adams musicians in the pit was always good. The set worked well with smooth changes, though the upper level was rarely used. Lighting was never problematic but the front spots were often too high for the mens’ hats, putting faces into deep shadow. As with many musicals, the set numbers are the key to success and these were all well staged. However some of the spoken dialogue could easily have been trimmed, particularly if there had been any indication in the programme of the story line or history of the work itself.  BH

The next Hastleon production will be Our House 14 – 17 May 2014. Details from Liz Miller 07518 739026 lizmillerhastleons@hotmail.co.uk

White Rock Theatre, Hastings 25 October 2013

There is always a danger of a work like Madame Butterfly becoming over-sentimentalised, and it was one of the great strengths of Fraser Grant’s approach that it eschewed sentiment in the face of a starker emotional reality. Moving the period of the work to the 1920s certainly helped this. The tension between the traditional Japanese east and the more decadent, if not actually debased, proto-Christian west gave a framework within which the tragedy unfolded with uneasy naturalism.

Pinkerton can too readily be seen as a brash cad, but James Heath creates a far more complex personality. In act one his naivety seems closer to Albert Herring than to Don Jose, and the underlying eroticism was helped by Elizabeth Roberts all too willing Butterfly. Her appearance in a western wedding veil was immediately telling, and the arrival of the Bonze (strongly characterised by Toby Sims) who rips the veil from her, highlighted the dichotomy for a society in transition.

Trying to bridge the disparate elements, Peter Grevatt’s Sharpless was a master of tact, but, in the superbly handled letter scene in act two, proved to be out of his depth. There is nothing he can do to prevent the inevitable tragic conclusion, though he spent most of act one warning the love-sick Pinkerton that no good would come of it.

Like Juliet’s nurse, Karen McInally’s Suzuki starts the evening in a warmly comfortable position, hopeful that all will be for the best, but gradually slips into despair. It was noteworthy that her singing became stronger as the evening progressed and she was forced by circumstance to make more and more decisions for Butterfly, who has now lost her grip on life.

Elizabeth Roberts has to carry most of the second act and she did so with relish. Her western dress, and willingness to wrap herself in the stars and stripes, both at odds with her continuing Japanese references, pointed to a mind disintegrating under the emotional pressure. This was equally true of James Heath’s Pinkerton. The intelligent use of costume here indicated that not only was this three years later, but he has matured considerably. The creased white jacket of the first act has become a formal black officer uniform by act two. But he is unprepared for the emotional impact of meeting Butterfly again. Her suicide is unconventional and disturbing. She writhes as she dies with the eroticism we had seen at the end of act one. Pinkerton can only stare impotently, unable to act or react.

Musically it was a fine evening throughout. Kenneth Robert’s approach to the score was unhurried, constructing long paragraphs of lyricism to support the action. Orchestral solos were always apt with some impressive work from the first violin, Andrew Laing. The small chorus sang valiantly, with an effective on-stage rendition of the humming chorus.

The settings, with eight movable translucent screens, were highly effective and intelligently lit throughout. Given the quality of lighting available today, my only mild complaint was that Puccini’s glorious transition from twilight to early morning was ignored visually to be replaced by a loop of Kata martial arts and birds on sticks; a pity not to trust the composer on this occasion, when so much of the rest of the evening had been so good. BH

Final performance tonight at 7.30pm

Holy Trinity, Hastings, 23 October 2013

The Parkinsongsters were formed three years ago to support those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease, and their families and carers. Realising that vocal exercises can help to encourage and enhance the ability to breath and project the voice, Jane Metcalfe drew together a choir which has since launched itself in a number of highly enjoyable events, of which this lunchtime concert in Holy Trinity was the most recent.

The group obviously enjoy their singing and their enthusiasm is infectious. They opened with a brief sortie into The Mikado, moving rapidly to Handel. Gary Marriott gave us a mellifluous rendition of Where’er you walk (and how easily we take baroque ornamentation for granted these days!) before the choir sang Silent worship. This seemed to slip easily into Scarlet Ribbons, the sentimentality taken even further with a tear-jerking We’ll gather lilacs from Jane and Gary.

Members of the choir also brought us solos, with Bernard Crosby’s tongue-in-cheek And her mother came too and Stuart Baker’s moving account of Someone to watch over me. Stuart has had Parkinsons for over fourteen years and enjoys the opportunity to raise awareness and to demonstrate the importance of voice therapy in a very practical and effective way.

The concert ended with a hint at what is to come, with a selection of war time numbers in preparation for next year’s centenary.

A pleasure to hear the choir, and a full audience attested to their popularity. I look forward to their next appearance. BH

Hastings Unitarian Church, 19 October 2013

The final concert in the series, and the last event for this year’s Hastings Week, brought a heady mix of musical styles and periods, opening with Francis Jackson’s The Archbishop’s Fanfare. The Snetzler has always responded well to early music and William Russell’s Voluntary VIII sits snugly with an early baroque sound and gentle phrasing.

Quite what the Lord Mayor got up to in swan-hopping is anyone’s guess but the anonymous dance was delightful, as was the following Southwark Grenadiers’ March before the popular Prince of Denmark’s March.

The central works took a more serious turn with Bach’s Herzlich tut mich verlangen and Mozart’s Fantasia in F. The latter was written for a mechanical clock, possibly for a memorial piece, and has the stature of a substantial work rather than the lollipops often associated with mechanical instruments. The arrangement worked extremely well and allowed Stephen to demonstrate his fleet articulation.

Returning to the medieval period we then heard Estampie from the Robertsbridge Codex and a Canonnade by Balbastre. The warlike tones seemed a little toy-soldierish on this occasion but none the less enjoyable.

Percy Whitlock’s Chanty formed a bridge to the final items which were all lighter and directed towards the theme for Hastings Week. Syncopated Clocks gave way to a joyous jazz arrangement of Here, There & Everywhere, before we were all able to join in with Paddington Bear and The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.  BH

Stephen Page’s next concert will be at Blacklands Church on 30 November at 2.00pm

London Philharmonic Orchestra,

Congress Theatre, Eastbourne,

13 October 2013

Giancarlo Guerrero is not a conductor I have seen before, but judging by his performance this afternoon, I would love to do so again.

He led an inspired performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony which allowed the orchestra to be responsible for themselves on many occasions, and showed an immense love of the music and a trust in his musicians. The first movement brought some delicate, gentle phrasing and a fine control of dynamic, but it was the third movement which brought everything to life.

From my position close to the celli I was aware of his facial gestures. In this pizzicato third movement he gave up conducting with his hands or baton, relying on occasional lifted eyebrows or pursed lips to achieve just the right nudge for the strings. It was highly entertaining but also musically entrancing. There was even a point at which he looked at his watch – was Tchaikovsky really repeating that phrase again?

Then the final movement released the energy which had been held in before. He shaped the paragraphs of the music with his whole body and brought the afternoon to a stunning climax.

I do hope we see him again.

Rustem Hayroudinoff was the soloist in Chopin’s second piano concerto which was impressive, but not as much as his encore. A study for the left hand alone, if I had not seen his static right hand I would have refused to believe my ears. This was music-making of the highest quality.

The afternoon had opened with a suite from Carmen. Though well played it seemed a rather too obviously popular choice as an opening filler and we could have done with something a little more substantial. BH