New Music, New Places

Intrigued by the music on offer and enticed by cider on tap, M and I went to Irene's Pub on 11th March for Ottawa Chamberfest's 'New Music, New Places' concert featuring Gryphon Trio and players from Ottawa New Music Creators. A different atmosphere compared to The PepTides show in February but there were enough attendees for an interesting, relaxed evening.

The programme was intended to showcase 7 contemporary compositions under the 'chamber music' umbrella, however Chamberfest artistic director Roman Borys made a last-minute adjustment to incorporate a short set based on Gryphon Trio's new recording Broken Hearts and Madmen, featuring Patricia O'Callaghan. A fellow concertgoer who attended the Broken Hearts and Madmen themed show at Wakefield's Black Sheep Inn on 10th March described a superb evening, which was to be echoed at Irene's.

The first set comprised an abridged 'New Music, New Places' programme. Of the pieces on offer, I had already experienced Frédéric Lacroix’s composition Angels (2011) at ChamberFest 2011. I heard more of the 'palindromic' structure this time but some of the effect seemed to have been lost. The first performance was of Victor Sanchez' Estampas 1 - Cantos del Amanecer, or 'songs of the sunrise', whose bouncy, birdlike nature was beautifully executed on flute and clarinet. Crowd favourite of the first set was probably Martin Bresnick's My Twentieth Century (2002). Intrinsic to the piece is a reading by each performer of lines from Tom Andrews' poem of the same name. The text moves from humour to sadness, whilst (to my ears) Bresnick's central motif morphed through various moods (including a touch of grunge?!) as it changed instruments and dynamics. A really interesting piece: the text of Andews' poem is available with comments on Martin Bresnick's site.

After a short interval, Gryphon Trio and Patricia O'Callaghan came on stage and commenced immediately with Carlos Gardel's 'Volver'. The rest of the set was introduced and explained; given that song arrangements of this style are not necessarily my preference, my overall favourite pieces from the set were the Trio's performances of the Spring (Primavera Porteña) and Autumn (Otoño Porteño) tangos from Astor Piazzolla's Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas. Of the Broken Hearts songs performed with O'Callaghan, it was very interesting to hear their arrangements of Nick Drake's 'Riverman' and Elvis Costello's 'I Want You'; De Sela's 'La Confession' and Piazzolla's 'Yo soy Maria' were also very humourous. However as a live show, the programme was very enjoyable and the Broken Hearts concept seems to have been executed extremely well. Broken Hearts and Madmen is available from the Analekta website where there are sound samples.

Photos will be available shortly once M has sorted them. As for Ottawa New Music Creators, the evening's programme lists their next concerts: Contemporary Revolution themed shows at Cafe Paradiso on 2nd April and 14th May (which their website indicates are free) and Thin Edge New Music Collective on 12th June at Ecclesiax Church on Monk Street. After the taster provided last night I am definitely looking at one of these!

Music, Poetry and Cake (Gateshead and Lanchester)

Piano at the ready! (by M) After a good few months prep, the concert Piano Music and Poetry (organised through the Gateshead Piano Workshop folks) came around pretty quickly. As one of the participants, I was excited and also a little nervous about the prospect of a Paying Audience. The work paid off, as all the performers were excellent! Well appreciated by the compact audience. The format was in relation to National Poetry Day which was on 2nd October. Each performer chose a poem either in direct or indirect relation to their piece. A summary of the programme: Alan - Liszt Consolation No 4 and Mozart Adagio in B minor Graeme - Chopin Nocturne Op. 62 No. 2 with 'Uncertainty' by Adam Mickiewicz me - Clara Schumann, andante con sentimento with 'Clara Wieck und Beethoven' by Franz Grillparzer Jim - R Schumann Kinderszenen 1 and 7 with 'My child, we were just children' by Heinrich Heine Ernie - Debussy Clair de lune with excerpt from 'Fêtes g...

From Black Rose to Buena Vista

Two very different but equally impressive live experiences this last weekend. First up, our long overdue homage to the late, great Phil Lynott as Limehouse Lizzy returned to the Point on Friday 2nd March. Certainly on form (and not just lead singer Wayne Ellis, mmmm!) After a late doors, the band came on for a 2 hour set. They started off with Jailbreak (with added pyro), the rest of the main set comprising known songs like Dancing In The Moonlight, Warrior, Emerald, Johnny the Fox, Are You Ready, Killer On The Loose, Cold Sweat, Do Anything You Want To, Out In The Fields, Cowboy Song, Rosalie, The Boys Are Back In Town plus at least 1 early track. The encore included 1 verse/1 chorus from Sarah, Black Rose, Whisky In The Jar and another track. Excellent atmosphere, the place was sold out. The boys are back at the Point in December. Next on to crowd pleasers of a very different sort. M and I managed to get tickets for the sold-out Buena Vista Social Club show at Wales Millennium Centr...

Love, chaos and hope: Gabriela Montero and Scottish Ensemble in Kendal

After a sublime Friday lunchtime concert, Saturday (16th February) got even better. The day started with the February edition of Clitheroe Piano Group, and even more than normal we had an excellent afternoon's music. Quick smart up the M6 to Kendal and a quick meal courtesy of Farmhouse Kitchen (very nice) before we headed to Kendal Leisure Centre. Lakeland Sinfonia seem to have a good set of concerts this season - I tried to book for Jess Gillham in January but sold out - and the February concert, Gabriela Montero and Scottish Ensemble, was definitely a treat. There seem to be a lot of season ticket holders as quite a lot of the audience seemed to know each other; and with a few single ticket holders like us, the hall was pretty full! Scottish Ensemble are a 12-piece string group, and a quick look at their website shows they are interested in anything strings! Gabriela Montero is renowned for her pianism, improvisations and compositions - certainly one of the draws f...

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