Your 2014 Concerts

Dear Mike,

It is nice to read of another Forum member's connection with Hereford, and Ludlow is a lovely town too!

When was your grandpa at Hereford Cathedral? I was born in Hereford in 1961, and have a significant connection with the music in Hereford for more than thirty years.

I know well many of the Choir [retired and still singing daily in the Evensong], one Dean, one Bishop, three Organists, and one [now retired] confessional Priest. Hereford [in the CoE] is unique in that it was never fully reformed at the time of Henry VIII, and has a confessional Priest on the staff! Very RC to still have that.

ATB from George

Agree with you Mike,

Antonio & fellow musicians were fantastic last night!

Such a nice bloke as well, signing albums & chatting to everyone afterwards.

Thanks,

Andy.

Saw Nick Lowe at the Union Chapel in Islington last night. Support from John Doe which was excellent. Nick was fab as always. Having played solo for a bit he then brought on this bloke who was a great geezer we were assured. John Paul Jones then popped up to play bass and lovely mandolin! I think most of us couldn't quite believe this was happening in front of us! He did look a little lost as he tried to follow chord changes etc but heh! The lovely Geraint Watkins also popped in too. As Nick pointed out they weren't over rehearsed but a treat none the less. 

As he finishes with 'What's so funny about peace, love and understanding' a proper poignant ending to a great gig.

james

Concerts gone;

Peter Grimes,  ENO London

Manon Lescaut, WNO Birmingham

Concerts booked to come;

Der Rosenkavalier, Symphony Hall Birmingham         May

Moses und Aron, WNO Birmingham           June

Gotterdammerung, Symphony Hall Birmingham        June

Tosca, Longborough Opera                                       July

Barber of Seville, Longborough Opera                   July

Parsifal, Theater Freiburg at Norwich                         July

Concerts to book;

Tristan und Isolde at Covent Garden in December, if I can get decent seats.

Longborough Opera is a minor miracle, they did a complete fully staged Ring last year, & are going to do Tristan und Isolde next year, all without public subsidy.  Rachel Nicholls, Brunnhilde in last years Ring, is to sing Isolde.

Dear Mike,

My brother went to the Hereford Cathedral School in the mid-1970s and would possibly have known you grandpa, as the school was very much integrated with the life of the Cathedral. But I doubt, knowing my brother, that he would remember it well!

Thanks for your reply. It is amazing how many little connections there are in life. As they say, "It's a small World!"

Very best wishes from George

Jeff Beck - Manchester - Monday 19th May - Row B 

Richard

Went and saw Embrace Saturday night in Birmingham, after being away for 8 years it was great to have them back, the new album mixed with some old classics made for a great night especially as the crowd were really up for it.

Saw Savoy Brown last night at the borderline. Boy can that Kim Simmonds play guitar. Awesome!!

Hellbound Train was featured among other old songs. The new songs sounded excellent as well.

Great gig.

Kenny Barron Trio yesterday at Ronnie Scotts Jazz club in London.

FA-BU-LOUS

See them wherever and whenever you can, you will not be disappointed

Bit of a rocking weekend, Jeff Beck on friday night in Bristol. Never seen him before, quite astonishing, the forgotten great guitarist, the recent live at Ronnie Scots release gives a good taste. Saturday night saw the reformed Pink Fairies at the 100 Club in London. Andy Colquhoun filling the lead guitar spot superbly considering his predecessors Paul Rudolph and Larry Wallis were not going to be an easy act to follow. Listening to a 24bit 96k wav recording I made of the gig on a Tascam digital recorder, via an imac/rpac and focal headphones. My first audience recording, 'off' the PA, it was on the floor in an open backpack. Really good SQ, with prat, I just need to cut the lowest bass off. Both nights reminded me how far off 'live' hifi is, but it's still fun trying........

Music of the Baroque. 

Playing Handel, Rameau, Vivaldi, CPE Bach and Purcell, no choir this time. Mediocre at best.

Jeff Beck - Manchester Bridgewater Hall -  Monday 19^th May

All I can say is wow, what a set and we loved it!

He just gets better with the years with some explosive as well as gentle playing and when he played Little Wing I thought I had gone to heaven.

Richard

Cyril Snear + PLANK - Sat 21 June (Two Fab bands from Manchester)

Kevin, if you fancy it - Book here http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/694385 

Just back from Brighton Dome, Emmylou Harris with Daniel Lanois, Steven Nistor (drums) and Jim Wilson (bass). A few tracks by the band then Emmylou joined the for the whole of Wrecking Ball on it's 19th? Anniversary, usual De Luxe re-issue to follow.

Excellent show it's a great album and they all played it extremely well, great guitar work by Daniel L.

Guest conductor Jaap Van Zweden conducts Britten & Shostakovich program. 

I was not at all familiar with this conductor but he's done a great job leading the CSO with an intense power and precision. 

Altho, Shosty's 7th ran over 80 min! I didn't think he gained much by stretching the adagio. The marching sequence was frighteningly menacing and I was awestruck from its sheer dynamics. I wish there was more tension in slow build before the final finale but I loved the majestic power of full orchestra in sync.

Kuma

 Just as an add-on

Jaap van Zweden was first violinist  with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for many years before turning to conducting. He is a well known musician in the Netherlands.

 Cheers

Aleg

ah.. Aleg thanks for the info.

He was an energetic little ball of fire last night.

There are more program coming up by him in next few weeks and I am looking forward to hearing more of what he is about.

Who is the current music director for the Concertgebouw corrently?

Yes, he is a little ...

It is still Mariss Jansons but he has recently announced his departure at the end of the 2014/2015 season. So we're all awaiting some announcement of his follow-up.

The name of Ivan Fisher has been heard, but nothing formally yet.

cheers

Aleg

Rolling Stones in Oslo tonight...erh not me but a mate...I presume it's their World Tour.

It just did not seem right for me, but I hope it's a good one.

Jason.

Saw Nine Inch Nails last Friday evening, brilliant show, gutted even more that I didn't make Birmingham show now as I was coming back from the Munich Highend Show, great atmosphere and crowd though with a good mix of old and new songs, loved the curtain idea, especially when the lights lowered right down, made it feel like a small club rather that the O2.

Last minute booking.

Vladimir Feltsman: Haydn/Schubert/Prokofiev Sonatas at Orchestra Hall this Sunday.