After last month's excellent and varied opening concert (who would have thought of putting Japanese shakuhachi music and Indian ragas into a programme of clarinet repertoire?) the season continues on Friday 19th October with an orchestral recital by Chamber Philharmonic Europe. Founded in 2006, this fully-fledged orchestra of up to sixty players comes from Cologne, bringing together talented young musicians from eighteen European nations. At Newton Abbot, we'll be hearing just a small core ensemble of seven-string players, led by violinist Michel Gershwin and featuring the solo trumpet of Cyrill Gussaroff in the Hummell concerto. We'll also hear a Bach concerto for violin (E major, BWV1042) and a Concerto for Strings by Vivaldi, as well as an Albinoni Adagio, a Fauré Pavane and the very English 'St. Paul's Suite' by Holst. In all, an easy-to-enjoy programme of popular classical music to delight any ear! The concert will be in the Courtenay Centre as usual, at 7.30 pm and is kindly sponsored by Estelle McCormick. Tickets may be bought in advance at Chamber Philharmonic Europe
St Mary's Church, Totnes is host next Saturday (13th October) to Devon Baroque at 7.30 pm where they present their 'Logic and Beauty' concert of J.S.Bach's music, which will also include the E Major concerto - an opportunity to compare and contrast maybe? Also in the programme will be the 5th Brandenburg concerto (for flute & harpsichord), and the Triple Concerto for Flute, Violin & Harpsichord. Programme details and booking information at https://www.devonbaroque.co.uk/concert-diary/; this promises to be a treat for lovers of the baroque style played on period instruments.
A reminder now that the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is at the Great Hall, Exeter on 11th October with their 'Divine Sublime' concert; Mozart's 'Gran Partita' serenade no.10 and Beethoven's 7th symphony - www.bsolive.com/ for more information.
BSO return to the Great Hall on Thursday 25th October with 'Songs from the Heart' when Allison Oakes will be the soprano soloist in Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs; also in chamber mood is Wagner's Siegfried Idyll and on a larger scale, Brahms 4th symphony completes the programme - www.bsolive.com/ for details and booking information.
On November 1st BSO bring their 'Power of Life' programme to Exeter featuring the Grieg Piano Concerto, Nielsen's 4th Symphony and Smetana's Vysherad. www.bsolive.com for more information.
Finally, Exeter Philharmonic Choir is at the Cathedral on Saturday 10th November to sing Bruckner's E-minor Mass and John Rutter's Requiem. See exephil.org.uk for tickets and information.
That's it for this month; feel free to forward this to any of your music-loving friends who might be interested in supporting live music locally!
Happy listening,
John Rockey