FAIRLIGHT  HALL  FESTIVAL  15 June

Tae-Hyung Kim, star prizewinner of last March’s Musical Festival Piano Concerto Competition, on June 15 paid a return visit to Hastings with a sell-out performance in the idyllic setting of the home of David & Sarah Kowitz, Fairlight Hall. 

     Kim, as he is informally known, was ‘discovered’ as a youthful prodigy in 2000,.and in the years since has combined professional performances with studies to extend  his repertoire.  Those who heard his signature performance at the White Rock  with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto will agree it was memorable.

    On Saturday Kim played solo piano works by composers from the seventeenth century Domenico Scarlatti to the twentieth century Erik Satie.

    His opening choice was probably the most familiar, Debussy’s two delightful Arabesques, pieces frequently heard as encores but here Kim showed they more than deserve a hearing of their own.

    Scarlatti contributed three of his five hundred and fifty (yes!) Sonatas. Scarlatti was a celebrated harpsichordist, and Kim adapted his approach to mirror this.

    The first half closed with movements from Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet ballet,  The Young Juliet, and that favourite of  TV researchers for something ‘heavy’, the theme portraying the feuding of the lovers’ families The Montagues and Capulets.          

    Franz Liszt, oft lauded as the greatest pianist of all time, transcribed many other composers’ works.  Kim opened the second half with three such pieces by Schubert arranged by Liszt, followed by five of Liszt’s original studies.  This afforded Kim the opportunity to, reveal his range from a serene Prelude to a ‘fast and furious’  Molto vivace, the grace of dancers whirlting around the ballroom  in ‘Ricardanza’,  ending with the gentle charm of Evening Harmonies.

   With the audience demanding more Kim obliged with one further example of his skill. However for many the most memorable moment of this delightful performance  may be the simple melody of Erik Satie’s excursion on to the dance floor, the haunting yet joyous Valse Je te veux.

    The audience included the Hastings Musical Festival Director Prof. Frank Wibaut, the distinguished pianist Peter Katin and representatives of Councils throughout East Sussex, who universally expressed their delight at this unique presentation in such an attractive setting.  Dr Katin summed up the opinion of so many when he said, off the cuff, ‘I cannot remember when I was so moved by a performance.’                     Marrion Wells     

London Philharmonic Orchestra, 19 May 2013

Two young men set this concert ablaze – conductor Nicholas Collon and pianist Benjamin Grosvenor. They came together in Schumann’s piano concerto, the light touch giving an improvisatory feel to the opening movement, though it romped to a close before a warmly indulgent Intermezzo. The finale found many moments of repose to offset the passion of the main theme and the intense rapport between soloist and orchestra. Benjamin Grosvenor delighted us with an encore – a gentle piece of Schumann, in fine contrast to the concerto, delicately played.

Before this we had heard the prelude to Act One of Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg. The orchestra are no strangers to this score having played it so magnificently at Glyndebourne in 2011, but it seemed even fresher on this occasion, the counterpoint sparkling and the brass fanfares truly alive.

Siegfried Idyll was an unexpected extra, given the potential length of the programme, but none the less welcome, allowing Nicholas Collon to demonstrate his sensitivity to the nuances of the scoring and the gentle inner voices.

The afternoon concluded with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. This may be a popular choice where programming is concerned but I was surprised at how rarely I have covered a live performance in the last few years. What impressed more than anything was the clarity of the sound Nicholas Collon drew from his players. From almost inaudible ppps to the blazing rasp of the brass this was a remarkably fine performance. The opening movement had real bite without being over fast, while the moody silences of the second movement were atmospherically charged. There was little sense of dwarves in procession from the jaunty opening of the third movement but the build into the unleashing of the final movement was stunning. Moreover, the repeat in the final movement – so often cut – was here even more impressive for the tiny adjustment to the rhythm as it unfolded. Masterly! As had been the whole afternoon. We will be watching Nicholas Collon’s future with great interest, and not only because his hair reminds us of the young Simon Rattle! BH

Bach’s Mass in B minor is rather like Mount Everest. There comes a time when a choral society needs to make the attempt regardless of the cost. For Battle Choral Society there was much to commend. The soloists were well balanced and individual solo items impressed throughout. Gary Marriott’s Benedictus qui venit, and Louise Winter’s Agnus Dei were particularly effective. The orchestral playing was frequently delightful. The oboes in Et in spiritum sanctum were mellifluous throughout.

Rachel Firmager’s cello continuo was a highlight of the evening for me. Not only was her playing of great beauty but she frequently held the tempi together at times when other parts of the ensemble were not as precise.

The acoustic in Christ Church does not help mass choral singing, which needs to be particularly precise if it is to bite. While individual sections of the choir could make a vibrant impact – the basses often forcefully so, and the sopranos holding the top line with ease – the overall sound was often confused and at times muddy. Entries were frequently missed and Bach’s crisp counter-point was lost. Part of the problem may have been the tempi set by John Langridge, which for most of the time was slow, making it difficult to feel the rhythms which are dance-like and need that level of enthusiasm to ring out.

The great setting of Dona nobis pacem rolled towards its climax on a wave of fine playing from the orchestra and a choir giving their all. BH

St Mary in the Castle Sunday 12 May 

Buster Birch’s five-piece combo, based in Orpington, consists of Neil Casey on piano, Pete Ringrose on bass, Buster himself on drums and, providing the necessary eye-candy, glamorous blonde saxophonist Jo Fooks.  Together they provide a tight attractive sound which was obviously greatly to the taste of the Friends of St Mary in the Castle for this, the final Sunday Jazz Breakfast of the season.

Billed as Buster Plays Buster the first half was a Tribute to the Greats remembering the performers, writers and film-makers of the Twenties and Thirties, before the second half when St Mary’s was miraculously transformed into a cinema thanks to the ingenuity of resident Sparks man Josh.

This was for the showing of a Buster Keaton movie of 1924 in its original sepia, the ‘silent’ film Sherlock Jnr.  This was shown as it would have been at the time, though not with the addition of a honky-tonk piano of the period, but the smooth accompaniment of Buster Birch’s group. The music followed the action supporting but not over-powering it.  The film includes a catalogue of adventures and ‘stunts’ which were still breathtaking in their execution, and obviously really thrilled the audience. No models or synthetic sounds were around in 1924!

Buster described how lengthy was the process of marrying the sound to the pictorial aspect, working on it full-time for a minimum of three months.  In view of this, when asked what was his next project, this was a matter of conjecture! Assuredly we hope one day to see the results of his next venture.

In the meantime, certainly many other audiences, once they hear about Buster Birch’s work, will be anxious to see not the occasional clips which appear from time to time in TV programmes, but the complete film as we were privileged to enjoy on Sunday at St Mary’s. MW

 St Augustine’s Church Bexhill, Saturday11 May

Many great composers overcame appalling complications to create their masterpieces.   Beethoven’s deafness is probably the one which springs to mind, but many suffered mental problems, and one of the worst affected was Robert Schumann.

A lifelong sufferer, then known as writer rather than composer (his father was an author and bookseller) he attempted suicide in the Rhine but was saved to live for only two years in seclusion.  Yet despite this his work comprises some of today’s most charming and memorable pieces.

Scenes from Childhood, which followed Peter’s sparkling treatment of the Arabesque in C (Opus 18, 1839) with which he opened the programme, subtly reflected their theme, as it were, ‘musically pictorial.’

The opening work, From Foreign Lands and People was among the most popular.  By the Fireside was appropriately dreamy, with Träumerei (Reverie) a popular stalwart of Classic FM.  The contrast of Frightening with the following Child Falling Asleep revealed anew the composer’s scope. 

The four contrasting pieces making up Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque included the much maligned Clair de Lune, Peter demonstrating its regeneration with the fingers of a maestro.

Grieg’s Three Lyric Pieces were just that, delightful tone poems reproducing their titles, Album leaf, Peace of the Woods and Homeward. And for the greatly demanded encore, from the pen that composer for which Peter is internationally celebrated, Chopin’s Waltz in C sharp minor.

The concert grand was supplied by Blüthner Piano Centre, thanks to the support of Miss Penelope White, with St Augustine’s benefitting from the proceeds of the performance. MW

Gabrielle Manoukian, Bernard Perkins & Stephen Page

St Leonard’s Parish Church, 12 May 2013

The music may have been familiar and popular, but this is not a problem if it is well sung and presented in a relaxed manor. Soprano Gabrielle Manoukian and Bass-Baritone Bernard Perkins opened with Franck’s Panis Angelicus and during the course of the afternoon came together again for Elgar’s Ave Verum and an arrangement of Schubert’s Ave Maria. The generous acoustic makes the voices bloom, which requires great clarity and tact with balance, both of which the singers were able to provide with ease.

In solo items Gabrielle particularly impressed with Vivaldi’s Nulla in Mondo which included delightful ornamentation in the second verse. It was interesting to hear Faure’s Pie Jesus with the fuller voice of a soprano rather than the thinner tones of a treble. Her final solo, I know that my Redeemer liveth proved moving and effective.

Bernard opened with The Holy City and a powerful reading of the Quoniam from Rossini’s Petit Messe Sollonelle. Sheep may safely graze is not often heard in its vocal arrangement and so was all the more welcome, while The Trumpet shall sound  brought flair to his final item.

We were required to join in with I vow to thee, my country and Jerusalem – not that we had any difficulty doing so – before the singers ended their concert with Ar hyd y nos and Rutter’s The Lord Bless you and Keep you – a gentle and warming conclusion before we made our way out for a cream tea.

Throughout, Stephen Page had accompanied with panache, from both organ and piano, providing a solo item in the form of an arrangement of Saint-Saens’ The Swan.

A most pleasing afternoon and well attended – more please? BH

White Rock Theatre, Hastings 26 April 2013

Sometimes known as the One Song Opera, sometimes judged ‘far too long for any UK performance’ and thus rarely heard in its entirety, moreover ‘it’s set in Ceylon’ (as Sri Lanka then was) ‘and who wants to know about that?’

       Just some of the reasons why few of the audience knew what was in store.  However Director Jenny Miller  put such fears to rest with an unusual but highly workable setting, virtually playing the entire story on the front half of the theatre’s stage, with seating for the chorus on Actors’ Left and on Actors’ Right, plus two large sails, lit from behind so that they virtually became shadowgraphs.  With cleverly concealed coloured floods discreetly  positioned amid the performance area, the different times of day and moods of action were unobtrusively indicated.

       The story is basically the eternal ‘triangle drama’ of the film world, two men in love with the same woman.  Only in this case one of the men, fisherman Nadia (tenor Ian Parrett) had chosen to make himself scarce, so that all was well with the romance of the leader of the fishermen Zurga,(baritone Peter Grevatt,) and the beautiful Leila, soprano Luci Briginshaw.   Before Nadir left he and Zurga swore that they would never fall in love with the same woman in the one piece from the opera that is familiar, known merely asThe Duet from the Pearl Fishers.  The audience was doubtless surprised that the one ‘big’ number of the opera was heard so early, though in fact the orchestra later reprised the melody.    Nadir did return as Zurga  was explaining that a boat was coming from an adjoining island with the high priest Nourabad (bass-baritone Toby Sims) bringing a veiled lady a nun who if she breaks her vows will be punished with death.  

     The veiled lady was of course Leila, and when she saw Nadir, her hymn to the Goddess Siva turned ito a declaration of love for him.  Leila as a girl had given sanctuary to a fugitive whom in return had presented her with a necklace.  Leila gave this necklace to one of the guards   Zurga saw this and snatched it back, realising that Leila was the young girl who saved his life.  The villagers had prepared a funeral pyre for Leila and Nadir, but Zurga, resigned to the loss of his love, told Nadir and Leila to flee whilst Zurga remained to face the fury of the villagers and in a fit of rage Nourabad stabbed him to death.

     Kenneth Roberts conducted the Sussex Concert Orchestra, leader Andrew Laing, with obvious delight at having the opportunity to present something fresh and they responded magnificently.  Mention must be made of the original props and stage dressings which added so much to the atmosphere of the production and the originality of the setting, which permitted the chorus to add greatly to the development of the story.

     And above all, thanks indeed to Jenny Miller whose expertise and experience showed throughout every aspect of the production so that one looks forward to the next time Miss Miller takes on the directorial role of Opera South-East. MW

St Augustine’s, Bexhill, 4 May 2013

There was a time when Elijah was ubiquitous among choral societies, who could mount it at the drop of a hat, often with little or no rehearsal. Fewer performances today mean not only fresher approaches but often more carefully prepared singers, which was certainly the case last night for Bexhill Choral Society under Kenneth Roberts.

St Augustine’s is a moderately sized building with a fine acoustic, and the orchestral forces were well balanced even though about half the strength Mendelssohn expected. Woodwind solos shone and the brass seemed mellow. Only the strings, forceful in the many fluid passages towards the end of each half, made slightly less impact during more reflective passages than they might have done for being set behind columns to the north of the nave.

The choir had no such problems and were equally well balanced. At a time when male singers are frequently thin on the ground this itself is a tribute to their resilience. Mendelssohn’s musical line often exposes the tenors and basses, but they were never dismayed by the challenge. If there were occasional – and very minor – problems of intonation they were quickly and positively overcome and the big choruses were splendidly attacked.

Peter Grevatt is a familiar face but none the less welcome for that, giving us a virile account of the prophet, not averse to introspection and doubt. Gary Marriott’s mellifluous tenor charmed us with If with all your hearts and characterised the various voices with ease. Sophie Pullen has a very generous soprano voice which easily fills the building, making the widow a stronger character than is often the case. The alto part is not as generously written but Judith Buckle was warmly effective with O rest in the Lord.

With the close relationship of audience and performers it made sense to place the three soloists for Lift thine eyes up in the organ loft, creating an ethereal impact as well as a very pleasing a cappella sound. Kate Rogers’ Boy was also sung from the loft to good effect.

The Hastings-Bexhill bid for City of Culture may not be quite as preposterous as at first appears when we can provide performances of this quality, alongside Hastings Philharmonic’s St John and Opera South East’s Pearl Fishers. BH

The next Choral event in Bexhill is Great Choral Classics at the De La Warr Pavilion on Saturday 14 June, and Bexhill Choral Society will perform Mozart’s Mass in C minor and Magnificats by Bach and Schubert on Saturday 5 October in St Augustine’s. Details www.bexhillchoral.org.uk  email: bexhillchoral@gmail.com

The 1066 Choir & Organ President’s Evening was celebrated by a large audience and an equally large number of local musicians at Sackville Road Methodist Church in Bexhill on 27 April.

Stephen had again worked his considerable skill to bring together choirs and soloists in a wide range of music, focussing on the sacred but drawing in many works which now comfortably fit within that category.

After a brief but warm welcome to all, the evening opened with a rousing rendition of All people that on Earth do dwell. Having so many choristers among the audience really got proceedings off with a bang.

Unfortunately Andrew McGreggor was unable to play and Stephen opened the solo pieces with Bach’s Liebster jesu, wir sind hier BWV 633 from the Orgelbuchlein, its gentle tones being a suitable antidote to the fire of the Old One-Hundreth.

Some sleight of hand on the part of the host brought Lin Westcott next to sing Oh heart melt in weeping from Bach’s St John Passion, its lovely lines setting a tone of reflection.

John Pembery both conducted and played for the Melodians, opening with the ancient Greek Hymn Hail gladdening light, followed by Simple Gifts, perhaps better know to us through Sydney Carter as Lord of the Dance. The 23^rd Psalm sneaked in under Howard Goodall’s familiar version used in The Vicar of Dibley and the set concluded with Seize the day – a fine chorus from a little known Disney film.

Stephen followed this in triumphal mood with Karg-Elert’s Chorale-Improvisation on Nun danket alle Gott. We know this was used at a royal wedding, but in conversations over tea afterwards nobody could recall quite which one. Suggestions welcome! It is worth pointing out here that Stephen was working against the odds with the organ which, though it sounds magnificent at full tilt, was in fact showing its age and weaknesses throughout, complaining at times and thus needing a large amount of TLC from the performer. Such is professionalism.

Calvert Memorial Methodist Church Choir under the careful guidance of Heather White, and accompanied by Karen Woods, sang four anthems in regular use in their own church, opening with How can I keep from singing? followed by a delightful Silesian arrangement of Fairest Lord Jesus. An attractively romantic setting of Day by day by D Catherwood, which I admit I did not know but would like to know better, led to a setting by Roger Jones of O love that will not let me go

Edward Preston is no stranger to these occasions and pleased all with a moving rendition of Sullivan’s The Lost chord. One would think that Edward would make an unusual Mario Lanza but his singing of I’ll walk with God was deeply moving and impeccably musical.

Returning to the organ Stephen Page played Francis Jackson’s Prelude on East Acklam – a gentle moment of respite before the following choral items.

A small group of singers from King’s Church, led by Claire Burford, sang Graham Kendrick’s Have you heard?  and From the highest of heights, a delicate and moving setting by C Tomlin.

The final choral items came from the Regency Singers directed by Stephen Page and accompanied by Andrew Daniels. The four works focussed on the cross-over today between secular and sacred music, opening with You Raise Me Up which has become almost as familiar in church as on the pop scene. Michael Jackson seemed an unlikely bed-follow with Mozart, but linking Heal the World and Ave Verum Corpus made both musical and emotional sense. They ended with Bring him home, Jean Val-Jean’s prayer from Les Miserables, at once popular, reflective and completely modern. What better way to bring the evening to a close?

Well perhaps another hymn for all to enjoy, in this case Stanford’s uplifting When in our music God is glorified. The minister closed with thanks and prayers before we were ushered into the hall for refreshments, via the bucket collection for St Michael’s Hospice.

Another fine evening, with far better weather than this time last year, and another success for President Stephen Page and 1066 Choir & Organ. BH

Hastings Unitarian Church, 13 April 2013

The first in the new series of organ concerts opened with a sprightly rendition of Purcell’s Trumpet Tune which had the additional pleasure of the Air which is so often omitted. In a programme of gentle music, which seemed to match the gentle April showers outside, we next heard Charles S McClain’s Prelude on Were You There, which has just enough acid in its textures to keep the mind involved.

Three short pieces by the sixteenth century Virginalist Giles Farnaby suited the Snetzler very well, with its soft flute particularly apt for the Spagnioletta. Jacques Berthier is better known as the composer of many Taize chants, but here we heard his mellifluous variations on Lobe den Herren.

Bach’s Prelude & Fugue No22 from Book 1 of the 48 was followed by Reverie by Vierne. This allowed Stephen to indulge himself in the solo Dulciana, managing to sound far more romantic than it should.

The second movement of William Russell’s Voluntary No5 has a prophetically Menselssohnian feel to it, with a warmth that led us easily into four short pieces by Howard Skempton. Swedish Caprice has jolly syncopation and there is a delightful irony in the extended melody for Well, well, Cornelius.

Edmonstoune Duncan’s Solemn March  should have been the end but – with summer in sight – Stephen gave us Blaze Away to send us home whistling happily.

The next concert is on Saturday 29 June at 2.30pm, and there is an open invitation to the 1066 Choir & Organ President’s Evening on 27 April at Sackville Road Methodist Church, Bexhill, at 7.30pm  BH