Hastings Unitarian Church, 19 October 2013

The final concert in the series, and the last event for this year’s Hastings Week, brought a heady mix of musical styles and periods, opening with Francis Jackson’s The Archbishop’s Fanfare. The Snetzler has always responded well to early music and William Russell’s Voluntary VIII sits snugly with an early baroque sound and gentle phrasing.

Quite what the Lord Mayor got up to in swan-hopping is anyone’s guess but the anonymous dance was delightful, as was the following Southwark Grenadiers’ March before the popular Prince of Denmark’s March.

The central works took a more serious turn with Bach’s Herzlich tut mich verlangen and Mozart’s Fantasia in F. The latter was written for a mechanical clock, possibly for a memorial piece, and has the stature of a substantial work rather than the lollipops often associated with mechanical instruments. The arrangement worked extremely well and allowed Stephen to demonstrate his fleet articulation.

Returning to the medieval period we then heard Estampie from the Robertsbridge Codex and a Canonnade by Balbastre. The warlike tones seemed a little toy-soldierish on this occasion but none the less enjoyable.

Percy Whitlock’s Chanty formed a bridge to the final items which were all lighter and directed towards the theme for Hastings Week. Syncopated Clocks gave way to a joyous jazz arrangement of Here, There & Everywhere, before we were all able to join in with Paddington Bear and The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.  BH

Stephen Page’s next concert will be at Blacklands Church on 30 November at 2.00pm