Category Archives: News

Four hands, one piano. Discover the double act who ‘declassify’ classical music.

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The internationally acclaimed pianists and supreme showmen, Worbey & Farrell have entertained all over the globe and achieved millions of hits on YouTube with their sparky comedy and sensational piano-playing. Now they return to Brighton Dome this March as part of Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Sunday afternoon concert series, bringing their own unique style to the world’s greatest music.

“We like to think of the piano as a symphony orchestra” said Steven Worbey. “We like to utilise the piano to its full potential.”

Having performed everywhere from the Royal Opera House to the maiden voyage of Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 to ITV’s This Morning, their work is diverse, ranging from a two-month sell-out run in Vienna of the Canadian smash-hit play, Two Pianos Four Hands, to performing in shows with the late Mickey Rooney in the USA. In 2018 they made their debut with the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra playing Malcolm Arnold’s Piano Concerto and Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals.

Each of the pieces performed in this concert is a unique arrangement which can take months to finesse. Their version of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, described by Worbey as “very rhapsodic!”, took a year to orchestrate. With Prokofiev’s classic Peter & the Wolf, the audience are told to expect a very different ending. “It’s Peter & the Wolf with a difference” says Kevin Farrell. “It’s normally set in Russia; ours is set in Doncaster.”

Expect a show for all the family, as Worbey & Farrell give the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra the weekend off and take centre stage on their single piano stool. The programme includes their own version of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Addinsell’s iconic Warsaw Concerto, Prokofiev’s Peter & the Wolf, the theme from Ladies in Lavender and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

You’ve probably never seen a piano played like this before, so be prepared to be moved, excited and amazed with the sheer ingenuity and style of these masters of musical mayhem.

Tickets £14.50-£42.50 (50% student/under 18’s discount) from Brighton Dome Ticket Office, (01273) 709709, www.brightondome.org

Discounted parking (just £6 between 1 & 6pm) available at NCP Church Street car park.

BILL HAYLEY’S LEGACY IS COMET’ING INTO WORTHING

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Gina Haley, the daughter of the Daddy of Rock and Roll, Bill Haley, is heading to the UK and to the lovely coastal Sussex town of Worthing this weekend.
On Saturday 29th February, the UK’s No.1 swing and jive band and Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists, The Jive Aces will be celebrating 10 years of their Big Jive All-Dayer at the Worthing Assembly Hall where Gina will be sharing the stage with the band.
The Jive Aces met Gina in Texas a couple of years ago during one of their bi-annual US tours when they were playing at a theatre in Dallas. Gina, who also sang in the local gospel choir, joined them onstage for a few songs and the rest is history. Not only has she inherited the talents of her late father who created a stir across the world when him and his “Rock Around the Clock’ hit the charts in 1955, but she is a talented and successful singer, songwriter and performer in her own right. She has a love for rhythm and blues and the very roots of the rock and roll that her father made famous. Gina will be performing a soul stirring set of 1950s roots music at the Big Jive in Worthing.
The Jive Aces, well known for trend setting, created the Big Jive at Lakeside in Frimley Green, Surrey, well known for televising the World Darts Championships that back in the day hosted the likes of  Tommy Cooper, Morecambe and Wise, Frankie Vaughan and  Sammy Davis Jr, etc.
The event then moved to the lovely seaside town of Worthing at the Assembly Hall, a lovely room with a brand new sprung dance floor good enough to excite any Strictly fan and an absolute treat for those 12 hour straight marathon-style dancers who also want to look after their knees.
The band decided to launch the Big Jive after the huge success of their Summertime Swing festival and thus the winter based Big Jive All-Dayer was born to keep the dancer’s feet happy in the colder months!
Typically, the All-Dayer features 5 top vintage jive, swing and Rock and Roll bands, 3 DJs , vintage stalls and for those who need a break, Worthing has large range of shops, restaurants to suit your taste buds or even a stroll by the seaside or perhaps a traditional fish and chips or the food provided by the venue.
As well as Miss Haley, this year’s line-up is yet another fantastic one. It includes Stevie & The Shakedown, Sarah Mai & her Rhythm Riots featuring Cody Lee on piano, The Hadacol Hotshots Hillbilly Revue with special guests  Lew Lewis and Sharna Mae.
The Jive Aces will headline the event with Australian special guest singer, the glamourous Kara Lane and Lottie B on the low and rich sound of the baritone sax.
The DJs are Eight Beat Mac (Dave Fairbairn), Sing Out Si (Simon Stemp) and Swinging Rocking Daddy from the Netherlands. This hard rocking line-up will keep your feet busy on the dance-floor and if you fancy a fresh set of clothes, the stalls sell a variety of vintage gear for men and women.
This is a leap year, so the band is providing a “Cupid Corner” photo back drop where the ladies will be able to propose to the men and thus immortalize the moment with a selfie.
The event is known to sell out, so get your ticket ahead of time and enjoy the swingiest winter festival of the nation! Tickets available from www.worthingtheatres.co.uk

Brighton Dome Access Scheme Launches at Open Day

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Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival has launched a new service to assist visitors with disabilities and other access needs to make their experience at the venue easier and more enjoyable.

The Access Scheme enables customers who have additional requirements to book accessible seats, arrange for venue staff to assist them in advance of a show and ensure complimentary personal assistant tickets are allocated. Customers or carers can join the scheme by filling out a simple form, allowing Brighton Dome staff to register their needs and making bookings easier to complete. Visitors with hidden disabilities will also have the option to wear a Hidden Disability Sunflower Lanyard, which is a growing national scheme, as a discreet sign to front of house staff to offer extra assistance if it is needed.

Customers can sign up and find out more about the scheme at Brighton Dome’s Access Open Day on Sat 29 Feb, which will include free performances, talks and a backstage tour. There will also be a café takeover from Brighton based charity Team Domenica, who support people with learning disabilities into employment.

Brighton Dome developed the scheme in consultation with charity, Attitude is Everything which aims to improve Deaf and disabled people’s access to live performances.

Jacob Adams, Head of Research and Campaigns at Attitude is Everything said:

“Attitude is Everything welcomes the launch of Brighton Dome’s Access Scheme. The scheme provides efficient and person-centred customer service to Deaf and disabled people, enabling access requirements to be registered once without having to repeatedly submit evidence. It’s fantastic to see another major venue develop their offer, joining our flagship campaign to promote ticketing without barriers. This initiative benefits audiences but also staff tasked with ensuring the delivery of top-class customer service which enables audiences to access Brighton Dome’s full range of events.”

Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival regularly programmes performances for adults and young people with a range of access needs in mind, including BSL interpretation and captioning, relaxed performances, touch tours, productions by disabled artists and a partnership with learning disability arts charity Carousel.

Christopher Wyer, Access Scheme member and Deaf Cultural Outreach Group (DeafCOG) volunteer said:

“I’ve certainly benefited from using Brighton Dome’s Access Scheme. I often have to repeatedly express my needs to ensure accessible service but this scheme is personalised so it makes you feel like you are being treated as a valued customer. It also allows venue staff to understand what I need when booking tickets or visiting the venue and makes access to information about BSL interpreted and captioned performances easier. DeafCOG are tremendously grateful for their effort in making the scheme a reality.”

Andrew Comben, Chief Executive, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival added:

“By understanding our customer’s accessibility needs we can provide a much better experience for those who need extra help or support during a visit to our venues or Brighton Festival events. We want to make the arts as inclusive as possible so that everyone can participate without restrictions.”

Further information on how to join the scheme can be found online https://brightondome.org/access/ or telephone 01273 261541 and email: access@brightondome.org.

Access Open Day: Sat 29 Feb, 12 noon to 4pm, free admission

Brighton Dome, Church Street, Brighton BN1 1UE

ENO: Madam Butterfly

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Madam Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
 
Director, Anthony Minghella
Revival Director, Glen Sheppard
Conductors, Martyn Brabbins and Martin Fitzpatrick

Anthony Minghella’s award-winning staging of Puccini’s Madam Butterfly returns to the London Coliseum

Opens Wednesday 26 February at the London Coliseum (12 performances)

Anthony Minghella’s ‘ravishingly beautiful’ (The Times) production of Madam Butterfly returns to the Coliseum. Premiered 15 years ago at English National Opera (ENO) and now onto its seventh revival, this popular production is back to entrance audiences with its mix of stunning cinematic imagery, traditional Japanese theatre and Puccini’s powerful music.

Puccini’s Madam Butterfly is one of opera’s most enduring tales of unrequited love; the story of Cio-Cio San, a young Japanese girl, who falls for U.S. naval officer Pinkerton stationed in Nagasaki. Pinkerton, interested in convenience and loose marital laws, pays for an arranged marriage to her. After marrying, Pinkerton leaves for America before the birth of their son, leaving Cio-Cio San for years to raise the child with just the promise of his return.

Created by ENO in 2005, a century after its original world premiere, Anthony Minghella’s production of Madam Butterfly was the first and only opera he directed. The production went on to win the Olivier Award for ‘Best New Opera Production’ and in addition to ENO revivals, has been performed around the world, including at the Metropolitan Opera, Lithuanian National Opera and Perth International Festival.

Leading the cast in the title role of Cio-Cio San is Natalya Romaniw, who returns to ENO after her ‘standout performance’ (the Guardian) as Mimi in La bohème (2018). Hailed as one of Europe’s most promising young stars and ‘one of the most outstanding sopranos of her generation’ (Daily Telegraph), Natalya has performed across the UK, winning multiple awards including the 2016 Critic’s Choice Award for Music. This is her role debut as Madam Butterfly.

Sharing the role of Pinkerton is American tenor Dimitri Pittas, ‘with a flexible voice that can express real love and shallow desire with equal conviction’ (Toronto Star) and British tenor Adam Smith, ‘a sensation’ (Opera Online). Both are making their ENO debuts.

Baritone Roderick Williams OBE sings the role of Sharpless, following his Olivier nominated performance in ENO’s 2018 War Requiem. Having ‘beautifully sung’ (Bachtrack) the role of Sharpless previously in 2016, former ENO Harewood George von Bergen returns to the Coliseum for one performance.

Mezzo soprano Stephanie Windsor-Lewis with her ‘excellently strong voice’ (Daily Express) returns to the role of Suzuki, while tenor Alasdair Elliott resurrects his ‘brilliantly enunciated Goro’ (The Stage), which he performed with the Royal Opera House more than a decade ago.

Bass baritone Keel Watson is The Bonze, following his recent performances in ENO’s Carmen (2020), Orpheus in the Underworld (2019) and Akhnaten (2019).

Prince Yamnadori is baritone Njabulo Madlala after making his debut at ENO in Porgy and Bess (2018).

Completing the cast is rising star and ENO Harewood Katie Stevenson who returns after performances last year with ENO in Akhnaten, The Magic Flute and The Mask of Orpheus. Katie has previously won all three prizes at the Wagner Society Singing Competition and the 2016 Marjorie Thomas Art of Song prize.

Conducting this revival with his ‘exemplary fervour’ (Bachtrack) is ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins, with ENO Head of Music Martin Fitzpatrick taking over the baton for three performances.

Glen Sheppard directs this revival, with set design by Michael Levine, costumes by Chinese costume designer Han Feng and revival choreography by David John. Puppeteers at Blind Summit Theatre return to bring Butterfly’s child, Sorrow, to life. Lighting design is by Peter Mumford and translation by David Parry.

Madam Butterfly opens on Wednesday 26 February 19.30 at the London Coliseum for 12 performances: 26 February, 5, 11, 13, 20, 27, 30 March & 17 April at 19.30. 29 February, 7 March, 4 & 7 April at 18.30.

Tickets start from £10 (plus booking fee)*

EXPERIENCED SINGERS WANTED!

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TO PERFORM GROUND-BREAKING NEW WORK WITH THE DISTINGUISHED LONDON MOZART PLAYERS
Celebrated composer Polo Piatti is looking for 20 committed singers to join the distinguished London Mozart Players performing the world-premiere of his deeply powerful and emotional multi-faith oratorio Libera Nos.  The new Choir will also be joined by members of the Hastings Sinfonia, five Soloists and a Children’s Choir.
Interested singers are required to attend all rehearsals taking place forth-nightly from Saturday 29th February onwards (1-3pm) at the Opus Theatre in Hastings (details below). The composer will be conducting the rehearsals while London maestro Derek Carden will conduct the premiere.
The composer is also looking for a confident 8-11 years old girl to sing the solo part of God in the oratorio. She should be able to perform on stage and under pressure. The organisers will be auditioning suitable candidates on Saturday 8th February at 2pm at the Opus Theatre.
If you are interested in being part of this very special project or require more details, please send an email to: opushastings@gmail.com or call 07725-163929.
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Background: ‘Libera Nos’ is believed to be the first ever multi-faith oratorio to be performed in the world. A truly monumental work that took over three years to be researched and finally completed was commissioned by the Musica Sacra organisation in Hastings and is based on the musical traditions and narrations of all major world religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Composer Polo Piatti said about the work: “The oratorio’s main objective is to convey a simple message: as long as people remain segregated from each other, the world will continue to be an unjust and unhappy place. Only by looking for common ground and universal similarities can we find understanding and contribute to a better life for all of us on this planet.”. As in all of Piatti’s works, the music is highly evocative, accessible and melodic. You can watch some video clips of the work’s 2015 soft-premiere online by searching Libera Nos Oratorio.
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Rehearsals will take place on Saturdays (1-3pm) on the following dates: 29th Feb, 14th and 28th March, 11th and 25th April, 9th and 23rd May. Full rehearsal is on Sat 6th June (2-5pm) and Dress Rehearsal and Premiere are both on Sat 13th June at 3pm and 7pm respectively.  The Opus Theatre’s address is: 24 Cambridge Road, Hastings TN34 1DJ.
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ENO: Luisa Miller

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Luisa Miller

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano (1801-1852) after Friedrich Schiller’s Intrigue and Love (Kabale und Liebe)
Director, Barbora Horáková Joly
Conductor, Alexander Joel

English National Opera stages Verdi’s Luisa Miller for the first time in company history

Opens Wednesday 12 February at the London Coliseum (6 performances)

Winner of the Newcomer Award at the International Opera Awards in 2018, Barbora Horáková Joly brings her contemporary staging of Luisa Miller to the London Coliseum.

Luisa Miller is a complex web of love and intrigue. The opera follows the lovers Luisa and Rodolfo, who, from opposing sides of the class divide, are united in their search for happiness. But oppressive familial relationships and societal expectations threaten to tear the doomed pair apart, shattering their lives and turning romance to tragedy.

This new production is a modern psychological family drama, with themes around light and dark. Making her UK directorial debut, Barbora comments: ‘It’s a perfect and impactful drama created by two geniuses – Verdi and Schiller. Both impress us with the way they use strong psychological views of the characters and the inevitability with which the story reaches its tragic end.’

Recognised as a key transitional work in the refining of Verdi’s style in the 1850s, Luisa Miller reveals the composer’s innate gift for beautiful lyrical lines and sensitive orchestration. His fifteenth opera, this marks the beginning of Verdi’s ‘middle period’, which produced some of the composer’s most famous works: La traviata and Rigoletto.

One of opera’s favourite voices, Elizabeth Llewellyn, returns to ENO for the role of Luisa. Her soprano, ‘uncorks passages of glorious timbre’ (The Times). An expert in Italian repertoire, her ‘vocal blend is ideal: pure, supple and perfectly balanced’ (the Independent).

Baritone Olafur Sigurdarson takes the role of Miller in his ENO debut. Olafur has an established international career, having sung on stages across Europe, Japan, Australia, Mexico and the US. Praised for his performance as Scarpia in Tosca, he was recognised as Iceland’s Classical Singer of the Year in 2018.

David Junghoon Kim ‘an outstanding tenor’ (British Theatre Guide) sings Rodolfo, also making his ENO debut. David is a Royal Opera House Jette Parker alumnus and has previously won the Francisco Viñas, Voci Verdiane and Toulouse singing competitions.

The ‘formidably voiced’ (Evening Standard) James Creswell returns to the Coliseum as Count Walter. His bass is ‘magnificently rich, dark and wholly secure, with flawless emission’ (Opera Britannia).

Leading mezzo-soprano is Christine Rice in the role of Federica. Christine returns in her first role since Elvira in Don Giovanni (2016) – ‘Donna Elvira is all the more potent for the control Christine Rice exerts in one astonishing aria after another’ (the Observer).

Bass Soloman Howard is Wurm in his ENO debut. Soloman made his role debut recently at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, where he delivered ‘an intimidating performance of Wurm. His tremendous voice was matched by his towering stature’ (Schmopera).

 

Completing the cast, soprano and ENO Harewood Artist Nadine Benjamin returns to ENO as Laura after stellar performances in Porgy and Bess (2018) ‘gloriously sung’ (Evening Standard) and La bohème (2018).

Alexander Joel returns to take the conductor’s baton after success with ENO’s La bohème (2018) – ‘Altogether a wonderful evening under the baton of Alexander Joel’ (Mark Ronan).

The modern set is designed by Andrew Lieberman, with costumes by Eva-Maria Van Acker and choreography by James Rosental. Lighting design is by Michael Bauer and Martin Fitzpatrick, ENO’s Head of Music, has translated the libretto.

Luisa Miller opens on Wednesday 12 February 19:30 at the London Coliseum for 6 performances: Feb 12, 19, 21, 28 & Mar 6 at 19:30. Feb 15 at 18:30.

ENO: Carmen

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Georges Bizet (1838-1875)
Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy after Prosper Mérimée
Director, Calixto Bieito
Revival Director, Jamie Manton
Conductor, Valentina Peleggi

Calixto Bieito’s acclaimed Carmen returns to English National Opera

Opens Wednesday 29 January at 7.30pm (10 performances)

Calixto Bieito’s critically praised production of Carmen returns to the London Coliseum this January.

A tale of love, obsession and jealousy, soldier Don José finds himself unable to resist cigarette worker Carmen’s charm, even when he is supposed to be guarding her prison cell. The tumultuous affair that begins between the pair comes to an abrupt halt when Carmen turns her attention to bullfighter Escamillo. Don José’s love for the femme fatale soon turns to jealousy and violence.

Appraised as ’a cogent, gripping piece of work’ (the Guardian), Calixto Bieito’s production transports the story from eighteenth century Seville to the dying days of Franco’s Spain.

Calixto Bieito remains one of the most sought after opera and theatre directors of his generation and is particularly well known for his radical reinterpretations of classic operas and plays. He has previously directed ENO productions of Don Giovanni (2001), A Masked Ball (2002), Fidelio (2013), and The Force of Destiny (2015). His production of Carmen was first staged at ENO in 2012.

One of the most popular operas ever written, Bizet’s Spanish-inflected score bursts with recognisable melodies like Carmen’s seductive ‘Habanera’ and Escamillo’s rousing ‘Toreador Song’. With music inspired by folksongs and Flamenco music, its original premier in 1875 received a lukewarm reception and Bizet died only a few months later, never seeing the success his work would garner.

Justina Gringyté reprises her role as the strong and spirited Carmen. In the role that has become her speciality, the Lithuanian mezzo-soprano ‘commands the stage’ (Evening Standard) in this production. Justina was a Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artist from 2011-13, and made her ENO debut as an ‘exceptionally fine’ (The Independent) Maddalena in Christopher Alden’s Rigoletto (2014).

ENO Mackerras Fellow and Guest Music Director of the Teatro São Pedro, Valentina Peleggi conducts. The ENO Mackerras Conducting Fellowship offers the opportunity for exceptional emerging conductors to develop their skills through a two year programme of mentoring. So far at ENO, Valentina has conducted Dido (18/19) and assisted on La bohème (18/19), Akhnaten (18/19) and Orpheus in the Underworld (19/20), conducting several performances of La bohème and Orpheus in the Underworld.

The role of Don José is sung by Sean Panikkar. An American tenor with Sri Lankan heritage, this is Sean’s ENO debut. In his first of two roles at ENO this season, opera-lover favourite and Olivier Award nominee, David Butt Philip will sing the role of Don José for the final two performances.

Exciting British singer Nardus Williams makes her role and house debut as Micaëla. Praised for her ‘superbly controlled, sensuous soprano’ (Opera Today), she is a current ENO Harewood Artist. Nardus was a member of Houston Opera Studio from 2018-2019 and a former Jerwood Young Artist at Glyndebourne. ENO audiences will also see her sing the Countess on the 18 April in Joe Hill-Gibbins’s new production of The Marriage of Figaro.

British baritone Ashley Riches returns to the London Coliseum to sing bullfighter Escamillo. Ashley previously sang the Count in The Marriage of Figaro (2018), and the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance (2017).

Keel Watson sings Zuniga, whilst Ellie Laugharne is Frasquita. The remaining roles are sung by ENO Harewood Artists; John Findon, Matthew Durkan and Samantha Price are Remendado, Dancairo and Mercédès respectively. Harwood Artist Alex Otterburn completes this talented cast as Moralès.

Regular ENO staff director Jamie Manton is the revival director. Jamie previously directed ENO Studio Live’s Olivier-nominated production of Paul Bunyan (2018 and 2019). Alfons Flores is the set designer whilst long-time Calixto collaborator Mercè Paloma is the costume designer. Bruno Poet is the lighting designer and the libretto has been translated by Christopher Cowell.

Co-production with Den Norske Opera and Ballet.

Carmen opens Wednesday 29 January 2020 at 19.30 at the London Coliseum for 10 performances: 29 January & 1, 6, 11, 14, 20, 25, 27 February at 19.30. 22 February at 18.15. 8 February at 14.00.

Tickets start from £10 (plus booking fee)*

A personal message to solo recital pianists with special 2020 plans from Richard Amey

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We all know whose 250th birthday anniversary is coming up!

Pianists who don’t perform Beethoven aren’t sure if they’re on a winner or a loser. Their concerts will be a welcome contrast or antidote to his music during a year when the mass exposure and examination of his work will teeter on overkill. But if these pianists are perceived as being in denial, or spurning the piano’s most inspirational classical composer, will that affect their audience rating?

Because this year the concert halls, recital rooms and mass media will be creating even more new audience for Beethoven and his exponents than happened feverishly 50 years ago in 1970, his 200th anniversary. The past 250 years have shown that humankind responds in the greatest numbers to this composer above all other, because he has the most to say and tell.

With his revolutionary power, beauty and humanity, he grabs by the throat and heart the idealistic young – who then discover and constantly rediscover Beethoven’s creative and expressive wealth through their lifetime, repeatedly energised and ever deeper enriched.

That’s me and millions of others. We all think we knew Beethoven, then find we didn’t. To our renewed admiration. Beethoven gets you for life. You cannot dismiss him or conscientiously reject him. You, the Beethovenian pianist, have the power to initiate that process.

Let us wish the non-Beethoven pianists an enjoyable ‘exile’ in 2020 – but let those programming Beethoven answer this . . . What is your purpose? To piggyback just the familiar, or be a messenger with ‘new’ Beethoven for your ticket-buyers? And I don’t mean just rarely-played ‘new’ Sonatas. This is a year in which you have no excuse if you are caught playing safe.

He will be disappointed if he sees solo recital pianists seizing their chance to dump on their audiences a heap of his Sonatas and nothing else. The composer wrote those for himself and for those buying his music to tackle at home or in court. I will be taking seriously few of those pianists because 2020 is the year each true Beethovenian pianist must stand up to be counted.

He was a performer, like you. But for deafness he’d have been doing so all his life and he’d probably have lived longer than his 56 years. I say, ignore his sets of variations this year in your programmes and you will slip down the rankings. Moreover, you will not be presenting the full Beethoven. Not for nothing did he perform these works, often improvised, off the top of his head, to amaze, excite and stun his audience, but wrote them for publication as another dimension and sharing of his gift.

They are of huge importance this year if audiences are to be given a complete picture. Take your pick. There are plenty. With them it will be your turn to do the stunning. And for most of those audiences, you will be giving music new to them.

To pick two obvious examples: the significant Eroica Variations & Fugue will come to them as a revelation because they’ll already know the tune. Play the C minor Variations (ignore Beethoven’s ambiguously jokey/pompous reported dismissal of them) and you will be connecting with Schubert late Sonata fans and in some cases educating them.

These two are no-brainers but of course there are the smaller sets to draw on, plus the miniaturist Bagatelles and Fantasies also, to check out and either learn, or re-visit and properly dust down. You already know that insight-wise the Bagatelles are very important Beethoven. Lots of this non-Sonata material is genuinely entertaining while you use it to paint that wider picture and draw people in to this one-off genius.

I wish you the thrill of creating your own contributions to this crazy upcoming year. And hope you succeed in making them memorable among the milieu.

Richard Amey

December 2019