Handel Cello Sonatas

After a busy summer (more about that to come) it's always nice to come back to a good review. America's Listen Magazine has published an article on AVIE Records' 10 years in the CD industry, and the article picks one of the Band's CDs (Handel Cello Sonatas) out as a highlight. http://www.listenmusicmag.com/looking-back/savvy-and-serendipity.php?page=all

Handel in Somerset

I am finally recovering from the most wonderful weekend with The Band, giving concerts and talks for Cossington Concerts in Somerset. This series was set up in 2002 by the late great Stanley Sadie and his wife Julie Anne, and has continued since Stanley's passing in 2005. The Band performed the trio sonata from Bach's Musical Offering, preceded by a talk about the piece. The following day The Band gave a programme called Eccentric Englishmen, inspired by some of Stanley's doctoral research into English chamber music in the 18th century. In between, Julie's amazing cooking kept us all going, not to mention talks about Handel. A huge thank you to David and Julie Anne from The Brook Street Band! A most inspiring weekend, which culminated with the Nancy Carr competition, awarded to a promising young Somerset musician. It was a real privilege to judge this and hear some amazing upcoming talent.

The Handel project

Very much looking forward to the start of The Band's 3 year Handel education project. Taster day tomorrow at Rhodes Avenue Primary and next week at Bealings Primary.

Burlington, Brook Street, Hanover Square...

Just a few of my favourite Handel stomping grounds, and I get to visit them all imminently. I wonder if Handel would approve of Crossrail? Or trains, come to think of it! I like to think that he's just around the corner, slightly out of vision, always one step ahead of me, but there nonetheless.

The opera

I went to the opera last night, not to see a Handel production, but ENO's beautiful Madame Butterfly. The production was stunning, and in the intervals I indulged in a bit of people-watching. This past-time easily dates back to the 18th century, and as I spied a smattering of supermodels, celebrities and familiar faces, I was again reminded of how little things have changed since Handel's time. Luckily the vogue for fruit-throwing has gone out of fashion (though I doubt many could have found fault with this production), but people still talk through the performance (sadly) and munch away on sweets and snacks, though not full-blown banquets in the 21st century. No capon for dinner, at least not in the middle of Act 2.

Describing Handel

I had a meeting yesterday with a potential director for a staged Handel offering. I had one hour to win him over to the project, so I decided to tell him what it is I love about Handel and his music. Why is it still so important and relevant, over 250 years after his death? What is his universal appeal? Well - I'm not going to list everything here, but in a nutshell, I believe that one of the reasons he is still so popular and admired is that he translates beautifully into the present day, like any great artist. He was clearly of his time in mid 18th century London, but equally, I can imagine him today, programming a website, trading stocks and shares and exploring new musical possibilities. He'd feel totally at home with the London coffee culture too!

Apologies to Handel

I found myself at the National Portrait Gallery on Monday, and went to see Handel. I hadn't noticed before quite how elegant his fingers are - nothing like the fat piggy fingers, described as being too big to fit on the keys of the keyboard. I did feel the need to apologise to him though, due to some rather severe cuts made in a performance of Jephtha that the Band had given. These were totally out of our control and most were understandable and necessitated by making a 3 hour piece into a 2 hour piece. BUT...The Angel Symphony? That was too much!