CANTABILE with Molly Townson & Richard Eldridge

Guestling Church Saturday 7 July

‘More’ because last years’  Songs for a Summer Evening was so popular, ‘Cantabile’  the musical term  for singing sweetly, which is exactly what  Molly Townson’s fifteen sopranos, mezzos and contraltos did, filling Guestling’s historic edifice with music ancient and modern.  Not only sweet, however.  Spirited and softer by turns were the melodies penned by composers six hundred years ago and their counterparts today.

With Richard Eldridge’s unobtrusively supportive piano accompaniment and Molly giving the ensemble the assurance of her expertise the result was thoroughly appreciated by a capacity audience.

Elgar always gives us ‘a good tune’ as he revealed in As Torrents in Summer, and My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land.  Back-tracking to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 1570’s Sister Awake and 1557’s Sweet Nymph, Come to thy Lover were madrigals written to be sung without instrumental accompaniment. Sixteenth century pop songs?

From our great-grand-parents’ era came Song of Shadows, music by Essex-born Armstrong Gibbs, words a poem by Walter de la Mare, the two having a prolific working partnership, reverting to the traditional with Long Time Ago.

The guest artiste is invariably a ‘household name’ performer rarely in the first flush of youth.  This guest artiste was very different, Molly recognising her potential four years ago when aged seven she declared her favourite composer to be Mozart.  In a gold sequined dress and with Molly accompanying Katie Wren delighted the audience with lullabies by Schubert, Hugh Roberton and who else? Mozart.

The first half ended with Albert Malotte’s tuneful arrangement of the Lord’s Prayer.

The ever-popular Amazing Grace opened the second half, followed by four spirituals from the choir, before Molly revealed another string to her bow by diffidently introducing two of her own poems, both different, both delightful. The first reflected her thoughts on seeing a bed of anemones, then a host of bluebells in Guestling Wood, and the second, a graphic account of a visit to Canterbury.

Howard Goodall’s Love Divine and John Rutter’s Gaelic Blessing gave the choir the opportunity to show their prowess in modern mode.       

The  Reverend John Burgess thanked Molly and all concerned on behalf of Guestling St Laurence Church, the proceeds going to the Restoration Fund, before the evening closed on John Rutter’s gentle benediction, The Lord Bless You and Keep You. MW                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Etchingham Music Festival Thursday 12 July

The rain came down in torrents but Etchingham Festival’s devotees were not going to let that deter them from their annual treat by the Festival’s Patron Peter Katin whose expertise filled the ancient village church as aassuredly as it has filled concert halls from Carnegie Hall to the Melbourne Symphony.

Schubert was incredibly prolific, particularly considering his short life – he died aged only thirty-one.  The three Impromptus which opened the evening varied in approach.. The first in A flat, was contemplative, almost as though he had premonitions. The second in B flat was lighter, more familiar, the third in E flat varied from a serious opening note to a brighter finale. Beethoven is not a name immediately associated with Peter’s programmes yet the first notes of the Grande Sonata Pathétique emerged with high fidelity definition and total dedication. Slowly, solemnly as this was penned at the time when the composer was losing his hearing, then this changed. It grew lighter, brighter, the second movement a song without words, the third with moments of rapture falling away to a solemn finale.   Claude Debussy’s delightful Children’s Corner Suite of contrasting short pieces which opened the second half ranged from a lullaby through a serenade to a doll to dancing snowflakes and the finale of the Golliwog’s Cakewalk. All charming and painting a miniature in a few bars. Why is only this last regularly heard?   

To close were two works by the composer for whom the interpretation of his works Peter is justly world-famous, Chopin’s Nocturne in D flat and the No 3 Ballade in A flat minor. 

A sudden thought – has Peter in common with we lesser mortals a preference for flat keys above sharps? (A flat, B flat etc E flat etc rather than G major, D major, A major etc.) Perish the thought!  A secret which Peter keeps well and truly hidden. What does it matter as long as he continues to delight us with his genius? MW                                                                                                                                                                                             

 David Flood  23 July

The most interesting parts of this concert came at the beginning and the end. The opening Tema met Variaties by H Andriessen brought us a full range of colour and some challenging, but not upsetting, harmonies. The encore – Fiat Lux by Dubois – had the most pleasing articulation of the evening and the most sparkle.

For much of the time in between the playing was proficient but rarely exciting. Bach’s Wedge Prelude and Fugue had little sense of emotional involvement in its phrasing and the registration lacked colour and dynamic. Guilmant’s March on a theme of Handel was effectively another prelude and fugue, with some rather aggressive use of the swell pedal. Mendelssohn’s Fourth Organ Sonata fared rather better with some fire and energy towards the end.

Franck’s Cantabile opened the second half followed by yet another prelude and fugue – this time Durufle’s reflective composition on the name ALAIN. It had some effective moments but the opening was lost within the depths of the instrument.

Flor Peeters Lied to the flowers is a gentle, fascinating work which requires a highly sensitive palate of tone colour. The pentatonic melody lines are beguiling but need a far softer registration than it was given here.

The finale from Widor’s sixth symphony made for an exciting close even if, by now, the impact of the concert had been lost. David Flood has played in Hastings a number of times previously and is known as a fine performer. Unfortunately this was not one of his strongest appearances. BH

Next Monday 30 July Nigel Ogden ‘Mr Organist Entertains’