The start of the summer season and Auckland Castle is open for visits, including the annual season of concerts organised and promoted by Bishop Auckland Music Society , the latest of which was held on Friday 16th May. A short drive along the scenic route took us to a very full Throne Room in the castle for a recital by rising star Alexandra Dariescu on piano. The programme, complete with short introductions from Alexandra, was themed around the development of the prelude through the ages. The first half of the concert started with the extremes of Bach and Shostakovich to set the tone: Bach's Prelude and Fugue in B minor (Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 No. 24) followed by a selection from Shostakovich's Preludes Op. 24 - I particularly enjoyed Nos 3 and 6 - 6 in particular a somewhat witty representation of a pub band. Subsequent to this the audience was treated to a wonderfully beautiful performance of Scarlatti's Sonata in F minor, K 466 - a soft sobbing lament; and a...
The varied musings of a music maniac...