PrettyInScarlett

Old and new worlds mixed yesterday with Angela Hewitt 's recital for Darlington Piano Society . Having seen Angela 3 times (plus a rehearsal) in Ottawa it was good to hear her in a different environment. The room in the Dolphin Centre had been rearranged to fit more people (and there was hardly a spare seat), but no Fazioli - so another difference to previous recitals. A more diverse andience than normal, with a good few first listeners  - for Angela, if not for the DPS too! The programme, performed in memory of David Robson and after a brief introduction, was as follows: Bach – Partita no.5 in G Major, BWV 829 Beethoven – Sonata in E flat major, Op. 81a (Les Adieux) ------ Beethoven – Sonata in A flat major, Op. 110 Bach – Siciliano from the Flute Sonata in E flat major (arr. Wilhelm Kempff) Bach – Sheep may Safely Graze (arr. Mary Howe) Bach – Alle Menschen Müssen Sterben (arr. Angela Hewitt) Bach – Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue Having heard 3 concerts this season on...

My review of the latest Darlington Piano Society concert, Danny Driver on 11th January, is featured in BBC Music Magazine's 'You Review' feature here . Notwithstanding the qualities of Maria Marchant and Clare Hammond, this concert was the high point so far of the current Darlington Piano Society season. My edited comments follow below.   The recital programme was: Handel: Suite no. 5 in E major HWV 430 Thomas Adès  - Three Mazurkas Op. 27 Beethoven  - Sonata no. 28 in A major Op. 101 C.P.E.Bach Fantasie in F sharp minor H300 Schumann Fantasy in C major Op. 17   Driver briefly introduced the themes of each half of the concert. Handel’s Suite No. 5 opened the afternoon's music– enjoyable, especially the Air and variations ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith’; in very great contrast to the Thomas Adès Mazurkas which followed. In these, we were treated to a taste of Adès' humour, in particular in the third Mazurka with its interwoven multiple elements. The firs...

Hafdis Huld General Sherman The culmination of a very busy week at the end of October (although I am so rarely not busy...) saw M and I back at the Old Cinema Launderette to see Icelandic singer Hafdis Huld . Partly booked because we couldn't get to see the ever amazing Ólöf Arnalds during her short October tour; and partly out of sheer curiosity. Even more so when I discovered the show was sold out! The evening started with an interesting set from Middlesbrough band General Sherman . Their first few songs reminded me a little of another Icelandic band, Amiina; lo-fi mellow meanderings. A few songs felt a little too ponderous, but overall positive. Carrying a tour wound (a broken finger) and accompanied by partner Alisdair, Hafdis sat on one of the washing machines and instantly wove a spell. She held the audience for the full length of her set with her witty manner - jokes, song introductions and more -  as well as her songs. The aforesaid busy schedule precluded a...

Having missed last season's concerts, I was determined to start well with the current selection of performances through Darlington Piano Society . A bright, sunny October afternoon on 12th found M and I in the Dolphin Centre for an afternoon of music by Maria Marchant . Definitely a name to watch, Maria opened the 2014 season with a very thoughtful programme 'Conflicts and Memories - The First World War' featuring a selection of works composed around the war years from French, Russian and British composers - Debussy, Ravel, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and John Ireland. Maria chose to introduce each set of pieces before playing. The concert was organised at the beginning with Debussy's Berceuse héroïque and Élégie , followed by Rachmaninov's Études-Tableaux, Op. 39 - Nos 8 and 5. Whilst these works were well performed, especially No. 8 of Rachmaninov's set, I felt Maria lacked a certain degree of stage presence. This was much improved, however, throughout the f...