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Search forRook Lane Chapel hosts enchanting evening of 'elegance and grace'
Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 16:51
The event, which had been sponsored by Christine Meadows Consultancy in association with Rook Lane Arts, promised to bring a little light to a winter's night. Outside the venue, decorative tealights guided concertgoers towards the inviting warmth of the Rook and once inside they were greeted by a relaxed and comforting atmosphere.
Following a brief introduction, in which concert organiser Christine Meadows explained why she had been moved to arrange the concert, the London Chamber Soloists, featuring Andrew Bernardi (violin), Sarah Drury (violin), Iona Hassan (viola), Fiona Murphy (cello) and David Heyes (double bass), took to the stage and proceeded with a performance of elegance and grace.
In an acoustic environment ideal for live music, the concert started with Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, a small serenade which is one of the most popular compositions by Mozart. Recognisable and beautifully executed by the ensemble, this opening piece set the tone for the well-selected programme which was accessible, stylish and cultured.
The celebrated soprano Sarah Poole joined the ensemble for Joseph Haydn's My Mother Bids Me Bind My Hair (A Pastoral Song). Described by The Times as "a soprano of innocent radiance", Sarah's agile voice and beautifully controlled tones soared over the lively melodies bringing a smile to many audience members' face.
With a fluid rendition of Mozart's Laudamus Te from Grand Mass in C and Tony Osborne's Concerto in the Classical Style the first part of the evening's presentation came to close with a rare performance of J.M. Sperger's Concert Aria for Soprano.
Following the interval the ensemble picked up with Joseph Lanner's Neue Weiner Landler Opus One, before the audience were treated to the world premiere of Judith Bailey's Concerto in One Movement. Judith, who was in attendance, came to compose the piece after responding to a competition launched by David Heyes for composers to write a work based on the two surviving bars of the 'lost' Haydn Double Bass Concerto.
Earlier in the evening we had enjoyed Tony Osborne's response to the same competition and it was interesting to witness how the two composers took these opening bars to create and shape two quite separate, but ultimately uplifting, pieces of music. Judith's smiles and the audience's applause suggested that both the performance and its interpretation was an all round success.
Both a highly regarded double bass, player and a pioneering commissioner of new works for double bass David helped this particular evening flow with eloquent and humorous introductions to the music. His wife, Sarah Poole, returned for Haydn's Canzonetta: Piercing Eyes and Mozart's Das Veilchen (The Violet), before Mozart's glorious Exultate Jubilate brought the evening to a rousing end.
Thanks to The London Chamber Soloists, the efforts of Christine Meadows, Rook Lane Arts and all the generous concertgoers who braved the chilly wintry weather, a magnificent £817.70 was raised for Myeloma UK.
Dan Biggane
The final Music4Myeloma event is a punk Christmas party with Frenzy, More Than Life, UK Stiffs, Counting Days, A Bit Too Far, The Oz, Here On Out, Orrible Sods, Second Chance Sunday and DJ Will Angeloro, at Frome's Cheese and Grain on Friday, December 12. Tickets cost £5 in advance. For details visit www.myspace.com/music4myeloma
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