Harvey’s Brass in Pevensey

St. George’s Day Brass Concert
23rd  April 7:00PM
St. Nicolas Church, Pevensey

Harvey's Brass

St. Nicolas church, Pevensey hosts Harvey’s Brass at a concert on April 23rd at 7:00PM.

It is their first concert at the church as part of the church’s 800th anniversary fund raising programme. Tickets are £10.

“We are really thrilled to have this outstanding ten piece symphonic brass ensemble give a concert in our wonderful acoustics,” said George Stephens, deputy church warden at St. Nicolas. ‘It will be a fun evening and their first concert at the church. The programme includes a mixture of well known classical and modern music, some big-band arrangements, and dance music. Composers are as varied as Quincy-Jones, Handel, Gershwin, Joplin, Offenbach, Sondheim, Quincy-Jones and many more with pieces from a wide selection of musical genres.”

Harvey’s Brass is based in Sussex and made up of experienced musicians from across the county. It was formed in 2003 by Neal Bland and Peter Cowlett, and received generous early sponsorship from the Harvey’s Brewery based in Lewes. Its aim is to play music from the Renaissance to the modern day, including modern arrangements specifically for the group.

The group has performed in over 30 concerts across the breadth of Sussex, and included guest artists such as Crispian Steele-Perkins and local jazz trombonist Mark Bassey. They have a regular berth at the Eastbourne bandstand during the summer, and also perform in various music festivals and churches around the county.

Concert Tickets are available from George at 01424 216651, g.stephens45@btinternet.com, or at the door.

The concert is supported by Gaby Hardwicke, BPE Communications, 1066 Country,  Priory Court Hotel, Starshine Music, Carr Taylor Wines, Visick Cars Pevensey Town Trust and Wealden District Council.

 

PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS 4 – ISABELLE DEMERS

Royal Festival Hall, London, 11 April 2016

ISABELLE DEMERS

This recital was billed as ‘A celebration of the Music of Max Reger’. Through a selection of Reger’s own compositions, the appreciative audience of around 400 were entertained and entranced by this young North American organist.

The first half of the evening was partly given over to Reger’s arrangements of Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue in D minor, BWV 903, followed by his arrangements of four of Bach’s Two-part Inventions. These arrangements gave an interesting insight into Reger’s compositional world, particularly his desire to draw out individual lines and colours. I have to confess that I prefer my Bach to be ‘unspoiled’ and so although impressed by the scale and variety of the opening piece I was more drawn to the smaller scale, delicately registered first three Inventions. The fourth was rendered in bombastic style!

There followed two of Reger’s own large scale compositions, Chorale fantasia: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme and the Introduction, passacaglia and fugue in E minor. Both of these works draw on the original thematic material to create immense structures with extremes of dynamic and colourful contrasting registrations. The sound world is neo-romantic with complex and often chromatic harmonies and shifting rhythms.

Although I can’t say this is my favourite music I was entranced by Isabelle Demers’ authoritative performances, her dexterous handling of this instrument and the fact that she seemed so at one with music and instrument. I was especially impressed to see this whole programme performed without a score in sight.

The RFH is very well suited to this music and there were moments when the exposed layout of the pipework produced some lovely more-than-stereo effects. As before it was a pleasure to see such a range of people in the audience – proof that quality organ performances can be popular.

Another very successful and enjoyable entry in this series. The final concert of the season in on 6th June. The 2016-17 series has just been announced.

Stephen Page

BBC Proms 2016

For full details of the season please visit: bbc.co.uk/proms

To view the BBC Proms launch film, please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03qvk7

Tickets go on sale from 9am on Saturday 7 May 2016 via bbc.co.uk/proms 

or 0845 401 5040 and in person at the Royal Albert Hall

Promming season tickets are available from 9am on Thursday 5 May

CBeebies and Ten Pieces II tickets are available from 9am on Friday 6 May

Proms in the Park tickets are available from 11am on Friday 6 May