** Positive Notes about Selected Concerts **
Season - 08/09
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Have you tried the new wind / brass
BreveEasy long note practice
software? You can download a free version of this product developed by Roger
Swann from here.
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Roger Swann
has a beautiful 2 bedroom holiday cottage called Swann Cottage in Derbyshire. You can get information about renting it
here.
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27th Sept 2008 - 7:30pm - The Bardi Symphony Orchestra and
Chorus- Claus Efland - Rita Cullis (soprano) - Alexandra Gibson (alto)
de Montfort Hall, Leicester
Roger Swann = horn
Schubert's Symphony No 8 (Unfinished) set the mood for this successful
opening concert for the Bardi Orchestra Season. Smooth 'cello playing (Maxine
McGinnes seems to have settled well into her role as section leader of the
'cellos and the security of pitch they provide gives the essential back bone to
the orchestra sound) in the opening theme was matched by well balanced woodwind
and horn playing.
The focus of the concert was always going to be Claus Efland's
interpretation of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony. All sections of the orchestra
rose to the occassion and the chorus sounded magnificent (full marks to chorus
master Giles Turner). The trombones and tuba seemed untroubled by the nervy
pianissimo writing (perfect section synchronisation and intonation) and clearly
enjoyed the moments where Mahler asks for controlled but overwhelming
power.
Horn Section Photo : From top left: Andrea Hemmett, Gill Colley, Edward
Turner, Robert Parker, Jo Chapman, David Leeder, Roz Saunders, Roger Swann,
Julian Haslam, Mark Penny
(Photograph: David Calow)
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21st Sept 2008 - 8:00pm - Leicester International Music Festival
Ensemble
Leicester Cathedral, Leicester
Event number 8 in the 2008 Leicester International Music Festival
opened with the festival director, Nick Daniel playing the Bach Partita in A
minor for solo oboe. If the audience appreciated the technical virtuosity on
display here they were (rightly) positively stunned by the performance of the
Rite of Spring in Stravinsky's own arrangement for piano with four hands. The
four hands here were supplied by Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen - but they
really did sound like they belonged to a single person - such was the rhythmic
synchronisation. You are left with the feeling that Stravinsky was really
wringing out the orchestral colour from the piano.
Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time made a contrasting second half.
Violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky and Pianist Katya Apekisheva seemed to really
understand the ethereal but still chilling atmosphere that is prevalent
throughout the work.
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