Leo Pellegrino at the Phoenix: "Too Many Zooz" Exeter Phoenix Sunday 13 August 2023

Too Many Zooz
Trumpet: Matt Muirhead
Drums: Dave Parks
Baritone Saxophone:
Leo Pellegrino

The evening of Sunday 13 August was a very special one for Exeter Phoenix. A trio of musicians from the Manhattan School Music celebrated the tenth anniversary of the formation of their busking 'brass house' collaboration 'Too Many Zooz'. This reference to New York's policy of having a zoo of some kind in every borough is also a great name for a band - and rightly so.

For many years now the founder members, Leo Pellegrino (baritone saxophone), Matt 'Doe' Muirhead (trumpet) and Dave 'The King of Sludge' Parks (portable drum kit) have performed for passing audiences at stations on the New York underground system. The resulting videos have attracted a large audience online, and great demand to see the performances live. We are very fortunate that they chose Exeter Phoenix as on of the venues on the anniversary tour.

Apart from Matt's blistering trumpet solos, and Dave's mesmerising drum and cowbell accompaniments, the main feature is always Leo's virtuoso baritone saxophone compositions and improvisations - always combined seamlessly with his hypnotic dance style. Early performances of 'Flightening Live' in the Union Square subway station led on to the fabulous 'Bedford' video which features the trio boarding and subway train in Brooklyn in the middle of the night and astounding the passengers with their explosive performance before disembarking, still playing uproariously, on the opposite platform at the next station.

On 24 August 2017 Leo was invited to the Royal Albert Hall for a Charles Mingus retrospective with the Metropole Orkest, conducted by Jules Buckley, and a second soloist, trumpeter Christian Scott. In a mauve whistle and trademark pink mohican, Leo gave an absolutes sensational performance with an amazing repertoire of masterclass classical, classic brass house, and wildly impossible sounds - all combined with the magical footwork for which he was already so well known.

In 2023 as the start of the British tour approached Leo regrouped with his 2006 colleagues in 'Lucky Chops', a fabulous multi-instrumental ensemble where Leo is joined by two other baritone saxophonists, Adrian Condis and Daro Behroozi (Rogerst Charles alto), Joshua Gawel provides the exhilarating trumpet plus Ben Holcomb and Cyzon Grifffen drums. Nora Nalepka's sousaphone adds something 'unusually different' and the unexpected star turn is the casually dapper Josh Holcomb stealing the show with his outrageous trombone solos. Their subway set at 34th & 6th was legendary, and their cover of the Lipps Inc hit 'Funkytown' is unforgettable.

When Leo, Matt, and Dave arrived at the Exeter Phoenix that wonderful Sunday evening a sell-out crowd were waiting in excited anticipation for what was guaranteed to be a night of non-stop joy and excitement. Even the no-show of support act 'The Showhawk Duo' could not dampen the audience enthusiasm.

The Zooz did not disappoint. All the energy and invention of two decades of innovative busking in New York translated into a non-stop set of overpowering sound and fury which had the entire audience dancing in a fever. To have such an exclusive line-up providing that wall of magnificent sound was surely one of the best high points of the Phoenix calendar for the year.

After nearly three hours of the very best dance music the trio were finally allowed to leave a hugely satisfied and grateful audience. The band also provided copies of their latest triple album including tracks from 'F Note EP', 'Fanimals' and 'Brasshouse Volume 1 - Survival of the Flyest'. Tracks regularly feature at the close of each 'Classical Journey' programme on Phonic FM (alternate Fridays 2-4pm) to welcome Pat Bensberg and his extra helping of the 'Eccentric Selection'.

All the performances mentioned above are available as online videos, and many more - including the delightful 'Lucky Chops' cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Shall Survive", which opens on Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn (leading appropriately to the Prospect Park Zoo) with Leo, Matt (with full beard), and Dave Parks playing as they walk along. Then, one by one, the other 'Chops' players join the peripatetic players, including not only Josh Holcomb's trombone, but also a special appearance by Kevin Bernstein playing melodica.

Do listen out for 'Too Many Zooz' on Phonic FM, and their ever increasing online catalogue. These Manhattan graduates are truly a sensational new musical phenomenon.

The Return of Sundays@6 Shephali Frost Ensemble Gidleigh Parish Church Sunday 30 July 2023

Poet and Vocalist
SHEPHALI FROST

'Au Lapin Agile'
James Boyd, Chris Caldwell
Susie Hodder Williams

It was in February of 2022 that 'Music on the Edge' stars, clarinetist and saxophonist Chris Caldwell and flautist Susie Hodder Williams, were at the Church of the Holy Trinity at Gidleigh to present their regular monthly 'Sunday@6' performance - a recreation of the early twentieth century Montmartre cabaret, 'Au Lapin Agile' - with guitarist James Boyd. (Full details on this blog - 20 February 2022.)

Live at the Long Room
Chris Caldwell
Trevor Taylor
Susie Hodder Williams

More recently, in addition to their extensive orchestral and session work around the world, Chris and Susie have been collaborating in a new project with musicians including their long time colleague, percussionist Trevor Taylor (who appeared with Chris and Susie at Drewsteignton - 29 January 2012).

Zak Barrett
(RedShiftParty)

Trevor, a fellow Guildhall alumnus, and founder of Future Music Records and the Jazz 825 Club in Southend-on-Sea, now works with saxophonists Zak Barrett and Martin Hathaway, 'cellist Shanti Jayasimha, Pianist David Lee, sitarist Jonathan Mayer and tabla player Aslam Ali to form a new ensemble to showcase the singing and poetry of Chelmsford vocalist Shephali Frost.

The 'Shephali Frost Ensemble' line-up varies from one concert to another, as does the format and style, with all these wonderful musicians adding to an ever-evolving musical experience to delight their audiences.

Shah Hussain Faqir
Sufi Poet
16th Century Punjab

Shephali came to the UK from Uttar Pradesh to study at Bath Spa University and Cardiff University Film School. She trained as a classical Indian singer. Later she broke through to new musical horizons when she encountered the Urdu Kalam, poetry in the Islamic tradition of Pakistan and India. Moving to Essex six years ago, she now lives in Chelmsford.

During 2020, when musicians were forced to experiment with virtual rehearsals and performances, Shephali began to experiment with her own poetic compositions in combination with traditional poetry and song. One by one the other musicians joined the project bringing together western classical and jazz sounds with Sufi mysticism. The non-denominational Islamic tradition of Sufism employs the ecstasy and transcendence of music and poetry in pursuit of a closer experience of God. A good description of Shephali's creations with the Ensemble.

In their weekly meetings Shephali and Zak Barret try out new possibilities for the combination of disparate musical styles. (Zak is also well known for his tenor saxophone playing with 'The Zed Collective' and Guthrie Govan's 'Erotic Cakes'.)

Luke Jerram: 'Gaia'
Chelmsford Cathedral

For three weeks in October 2022 Luke Jerram's colossal earth sculpture 'Gaia' was on display at Chelmsford Cathedral and the Shephali Frost Ensemble performed their 'Earth Sound Concert' including  'bhajans' (hymns) to Lord Krishna written by devotee Saint Meerabai in the sixteenth century. (Gaia was also at Exeter Cathedral in February 2023, and there will be another chance to see the sculpture at Truro Cathedral from 6-28 October this year.)

Shephali's reach also extends to international festivals. She performed at the 'Metaphor' Literary Festival in Lucknow in December 2022, and also the 'Jashn-e-Rekhta' (Celebration) International Urdu Festival in New Delhi. Shephali is also a contributor to a new project 'for a new approach to world literature' supported by the London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and London Museums with the intriguing title, 'Mulosige' (MUltilingual LOcals & SIgnificant GEographies).

Compère: Chris Caldwell
(Note shoes!)

Last Saturday, 22 July, Shephali was at the Finch Café in Hackney with Trevor, Susie, saxophonist Martin Hathaway,  keyboard player David Lee, sitarist Jonathan Mayer and violinist Philipp Wachsman, for a concert inspired by the plight of refugees crossing the English Channel, 'Lifejackets'. Even as that concert was happening, the team were also preparing for this Sunday's performance at Gidleigh Parish Church.

In a strange echo of the 'Au Lapin Agile' evening eighteen months before, a wild Dartmoor rain lashed the church as an eager throng arrived for the evening's experience. Inside the church Trevor Taylor had set up his percussion instruments, and the space was crammed with all manner of bells, gongs and cymbals - not to mention a full drum kit and vibraphone. Seated nearby with his own audio setup was guest guitarist Jerry Crozier-Cole. Susie Hodder Williams had both her regular and alto flutes and Chris Caldwell had come prepared with a soprano saxophone and splendid bass clarinet.

Percussion: Trevor Taylor

Guitar:
Jerry Crozier-Cole

The first piece was a merging of Shephali's modern English poetry with the Punjabi 'Qissa' of Shiv Kumar Batalvi (winner of the 1967 Sahitya Akademi Award for his setting of the Puran Bhagat legend in his epic poem 'Loona'). Jerry's incredibly subtle electric guitar improvisation and Trevor's ever-shifting percussive soundscape perfectly framed the moving words of the poetry, and the electrifying intensity of the Punjabi singing. The audience were instantly transported to a magical and captivating world of musical emotion.

Alto Flute:
Susie Hodder Williams

As the sound softly faded, Shephali introduced a familiar theme, A bhajan written by Saint Meerabai in praise of her beloved Lord Krishna. Shephali explained that Meerabai was a Rajasthani Princess who flouted convention by singing her devotional songs in the street with the poor and homeless. Shephali's poem 'My Forest Love' was combined with Meerabai's "I have been given the richness of God's name blessing". The introduction this time was Susie's alto flute with just the haunting and mesmerising continuo of Jerry's subtly fluctuating guitar chords. An incredibly sad and deeply moving experience.

'City of Rats':
Lewis Frost

In an unexpected change to the advertised billing, Shephali then introduced the Ensemble's creative consultant, theatre director (and video cameraman for the evening) Lewis Frost. Lewis is currently working on a theatre production involving the music of the Ensemble. For this evening's performance Shephali had asked him to recite her own composition, 'The Night in the City of Rats'.

Bass Clarinet:
Chris Caldwell

Lewis stepped forward from the shadows to take centre stage and was introduced by an eerie and unsettling series of achingly excruciating notes from Chris's bass clarinet, and a disconcertingly staccato accompaniment from Trevor's bells and drums. With prepossessing assurance and calm, Lewis recounted in verse a terrifying account of a traumatic night spent in a rat infested hotel room. An odd subject, but quite in keeping with the intense emotional theme of the evening.

'Moringa Tree':
Trevor Taylor
Shephali Frost

Shephali was a little concerned that we wouldn't have enough time for all the musical delights that had been prepared, but Chris was quick to reassure her of what we were all thinking: this is 'Dartmoor Time' - ample time to share all these delightful experiences. So Shephali moved on to a composition by Trevor Taylor which Shephali has updated with original lyrics. This 'Sunrise Raga' is now called 'The Moringa Tree' after the drought resistant malunggay (moringa oleifera) native to southern India.

'Moringa Tree':
Shephali Frost & Chris Caldwell

Trevor's gentle vibraphone melody, with swelling guitar sound from Jerry,
was joined by Susie's flute in a delightful evocation of a shady woodland scene. The combination of vibraphone and flute was delicate and delicious. Shephali slowly and seductively introduced the words, recounting a moonlit dance under the moringa tree. Every line was echoed by the sweet combination of musical sounds from flute and vibraphone - and, latterly, soft but increasingly urgent interjections from Chris' bass clarinet - leading to a moving cadenza in the upper range of the instrument. A splendid confluence of styles.

'High Heels for a Holiday':
Shephali Frost & Chris Caldwell

As a diversion and a reminder that, despite the rain, it is holiday season. Chris had chosen a poem with a light hearted theme, but more serious undertones, 'High Heels on a Holiday'. Chris opens with his unmistakeable soprano saxophone style which leads to a phonetic conversation between speaker and saxophone. Occasional uncommon words like "Fuchs-i-a" (describing toenail-varnish) are corrected with amusing pedantry by the saxophone.

Chris himself comes into the story, as the characters' shoes are like his - but smarter! The response from Chris' clarinet is appropriately offended. The interaction becomes increasingly flirtatious, with tacit acknowledgements to Susie (Chris's wife), before ending abruptly in the midst of a surreal holiday scene. A very different, and beautifully crafted composition.

'To the Home of my Beloved':
Shephali Frost

Returning to a serious vein, the next piece was by thirteenth century sufi poet and saint, Shah Hussain Faqir. Shephali was quick to point out the contradiction even in his name, 'King Hussain the Beggar'. In Sufi philosophy a man who conquers himself is a king, because the world matters nothing to him. His song 'To the Home of my Beloved' is about this self-actualisation - and those things that stand in the way of fulfilment - as sung by a tribal girl.

Bowed Vibraphone:
Trevor Taylor

The opening of this very traditional song is slow and plaintive. Jerry and Trevor did everything with guitar and drums to enhance the sense of quiet foreboding. Now Shephali really began to demonstrate her classical singing skills. Initially a few words and phrases were given more strident emphasis, and explanatory English lyrics were interjected to clarify the mood. Flute and saxophone were joined by Trevor's vibraphone, which he now played with a violin bow, as Shephali's words and delivery became ever more pained and voluble - the exquisitely agonised cries of anguish filling the nave of the small church and overwhelming the audience.

'The Underwater City':
Shephali Frost
Trevor Taylor - Chris Caldwell

After this magnificent outpouring of emotion, something more mundane was needed to end the concert and bring the audience back to reality - the reality of a rainy Dartmoor evening. Susie chose 'The Underwater City'. Far from an Indian tradition, this organic interaction of brilliant musicians and Shephali's individual and unconventional style, evoked the tragic recent events in New Delhi - recently inundated by meltwater from the Yamunotri Glacier bursting the banks of the Yamuna tributary of the Ganges in India's capital. A very appropriate and respectful recognition of this shocking event - "The New Delhi Deluge". Flute, Bass Clarinet, guitar strings and every jangling percussion instrument contributed to the mood of this final piece.

Vote of Thanks:
Chris Caldwell

This was an extra special 'Sunday@6' event. An audience familiar and enamoured with the fabulous creations of 'Music on the Edge' had been treated to an extraordinary evening of musical expression and creativity. A grey evening had been completely forgotten in a total immersion in sound and emotion. Many thanks to all involved. We are indeed blessed to have such beautiful music on our doorstep.

And there is more to come! The Shephali Frost Ensemble, this time featuring Chris, Susie, Trevor, Jonathan Mayer (sitar) and pianist Dan Banks will be giving a concert in Wells Cathedral at 7pm on Friday 18 August. 'The Inheritance of Love' - 'Ancestral Voices' will feature English lyric with Persian, Saraiki, Hindi, Punjabi, Pashto and Urdu poetry in an hour filled with meditative songs and energetic dance music.

Flautist & Poet
Susie Hodder Williams
Shephali Frost

Chris and Susie's 'Music on the Edge' have another local engagement later in the year. The 'Corvus Consort' vocal group will be coming to Dartmoor for the Whiddon Autumn Festival in September and their first concert, 'Byrd Takes Flight', will be in Drewsteignton Church at 8pm on Wednesday 13 September - with Chris and Susie providing accompaniment.

There are twelve more events in the festival, in Chagford, Moretonhampstead and Throwleigh. (Details on their website - whiddonautumnfestival.co.uk)

Not forgetting, Chris is a founder member of the Delta Saxophone Quartet, now approaching its fortieth anniversary season. This autumn they will release their new album, 'Late Music' featuring new compositions by many of their collaborators over the years - including local musicians Paul Honey and Joe Duddell. Extracts will feature on upcoming 'Classical Journey' programmes on Phonic FM, with Chris joining us to fill in more of the details.

And Sunday night's music was recorded for us to enjoy on future 'Classical Journey' programmes too.

A splendid prospect all round!

"NOCTURNE" (The Romantic Life of Frédéric Chopin) Author & Pianist: Lucy Parham, Narrators: Alex Jennings and Dame Harriet Walter. Exeter School Sunday 6 November 2022 - Press Release from David Cornes

Lucy Parham
"NOCTURNE"
(The Romantic Life of Frédéric Chopin)
Exeter School
Sunday 6 November

Alex Jennings

Lucy Parham

On Sunday 6 November, at 3pm, the 1984 BBC Young Musician of the Year, Lucy Parham, will be at Exeter School to perform a recital from her 'Composer Portrait Series'. She will be joined by Royal Shakespeare Company actors Alex Jennings and Dame Harriet Walter.

The now-familiar format will be readings from the letters and diaries of composer Frédéric Chopin and novelist Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dudevant (née Dupin), better known in the literary world by the pseudonym 'George Sand'.

Dame Harriet Walter

As well as being internationally acclaimed theatre and film actors, Alex and Harriet recently appeared together in the BBC Drama "This is Going to Hurt" which is an autobiographical account of the experiences of author Adam Key as a House Officer training in an NHS labour ward. Alex is the Senior Consultant, Mr Lockhart, and Harriet is his mother, Veronique.

Chopin and Sand were introduced to each other by Franz Liszt in 1837. An initially tentative relationship led to a 'honeymoon' in Mallorca. Chopin, despite severe pulmonary illness, which the locals suspected was caused by tuberculosis, used the time to compose his cycle of 'Préludes' for the piano in all the major and minor keys.

Frédéric Chopin

Sand spent five months of each year with Chopin at her country house at Nohant in the Indre Valley. She nursed him and helped him complete many of his compositions. In 1847 they separated and Chopin struggled to complete any further work, while his health quickly deteriorated. His last concert coincided with the 'Révolution de Février' in 1848, which gave rise to the Second French Republic.

Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dudevan
a.k.a. George Sand

The event is part of the Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival, and is sponsored by Exeter School. Tickets are £28, with a concessionary price of £25 for students. Tickets are available from TicketSource - ticketsource.co.uk/booking/select/RdiEJKhzXNnT. Any disabled person needing personal assistance can obtain a free ticket for their assistant from the Festival organisers (email festival@budlitfest.org.uk).

Many thanks to Festival coordinator David Cornes for this press release.

The Return of David Acres! Classical Journey Interview Phonic FM 2pm Friday 1 July, Concert - "Celestial Counterpoint" Buckfast Abbey Saturday 9 July 2022: Counterpoint Choir, The King's Counterpoint, Contrapunctus Early Music, Cantores Charleston

David Acres (fifth from left) and choir
(Judith Acres far left)

On the evening of Saturday 20 June 2015 David Acres and his wife Judith, having travelled to the UK from their home in Charleston South Carolina, reconvened the renowned 'Counterpoint' choir at Buckfast Abbey for one final farewell concert. In the line-up, and singing several solo pieces, was David's early inspiration and model - operatic star and fellow counter-tenor James Bowman.

David and Judith Acres
with Countertenor James Bowman
Buckfast Abbey 20 June 2015

Now, seven years later, David and Judith return to Buckfast Abbey en route to Kent for a week of liturgical music at the Seat of the Archbishop, Canterbury Cathedral. They will be at the Abbey on Saturday 9 July for an evening of choral music entitled 'Celestial Counterpoint'.

Nine of the original Counterpoint members will be there, along with singers from 'Contrapunctus Early Music' (a high voices ensemble) founded by David in Cleveland Ohio when he joined Todd Wilson's choir at Trinity Cathedral, and directed another choir created by David and Judith in South Carolina - 'The King's Counterpoint'.

The King's Counterpoint

David has also been the Director of the Parish Choir at Old St Andrew's Episcopal Church in West Ashley district of Charleston since 2016. Founded in 1706 it is the oldest Church building in South Carolina and a suitably historic setting for David's timeless musical creativity.

Old St Andrew's Episcopal Church
Charleston South Carolina

David and Judith also make music with two further choirs in South Carolina: 'Cantores Charleston' are a high voice choir of 14-16 sopranos, altos and counter-tenors who have performed three concerts so far, and 'Vox Regis' are a company of 12-14 professional singers who, having given two successful recitals, are now scheduled for a tour of Connecticut.

Cantores Charleston

David Acres has been a chorister since 1960 when he joined Exeter Cathedral Choir as a probationer, and studied music with Lionel Dakers. Graduating to the Royal School of Church Music, David became Head Chorister before moving to Bethany School in Kent. There he was to inaugurate the Kent Consort while also singing with many London church choirs.

In the 1970s David continued his musical education with Robin Gritton, and became a Lay Clerk at Exeter Cathedral. He also joined the Loosemore Singers at Buckfast Abbey and directed the Torbay Singers. He joined the Imperial Singers in the 1980s and also brought together many of his musical colleagues to form the now famous 'Counterpoint' choir.

'Counterpoint' made many recordings at Buckfast Abbey, Holy Trinity Exmouth and Exeter Cathedral up until 2012. In 2003, on their regular tour of Brittany with the Groupe Vocal Jef le Penven, they made a series of recordings at l'Eglise de Locmaria in Quimper and l'Eglise Saint-Pierre in Pont l'Abbé.

Groupe Vocal Jef le Penven

In 2011 David became part of the new 'Antiphon' choir directed by Exeter Cathedral Decani bass Matt Cann. Also in that choir was then Director of Music at Buckfast Abbey, Michael Vian Clarke and Lay Clerks from the Cathedrals of Wells, Gloucester, Winchester and Exeter. The Antiphon choir still give regular performances throughout the South West.

Matt Cann and Antiphon

In 2012 the Choir of Trinity Cathedral Cleveland, Directed by Todd Wilson, were visiting Wells Cathedral and participated in an exchange of singers with David's Counterpoint Choir. In 2013 David moved to Cleveland and joined the Trinity Cathedral Choir and the Trinity Singers. He also participated in Quire Cleveland's 2013 Christmas Concert.

Particuarly memorable was David's collaboration with John McElliott and Joe Schlesinger at Cleveland Cathedral, entitled "The Three Countertenors".

In May 2014 David and Judith formed the 'Contrapunctus Early Music' high voices ensemble which performed at Trinity Cathedral and the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Cleveland. After moving to South Carolina, they formed 'The King's Counterpoint' with eight sopranos, including Judith. The eight altos included John Cunningham, who is now part of 'Cantores Charleston' as well.

Judith and David Acres

Judith (formerly Dr Judith Overcash) is extremely well known and respected throughout the United States as a performer of vocal music from mediaeval songs to operatic arias. Her voice is hailed as "clear as a bell".

Judith has performed with the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra and Warren Philharmonic Orchestra (both in Ohio), the Baroque Orchestras of Seattle, Atlanta and Austin (La Follia) and the Texas Early Music Project. She also joined Al Cofrin of the University of Texas in the creation of 'Istanpitta', an ensemble of oud, saz, krumhorn, bagpipes, recorder, lute, vielle, shaum, harp - and voice, who recreate the music of the tenth to fourteenth centuries.

Istanpitta

At Buckfast Abbey on 9 July the visiting choirs, in collaboration with the former Counterpoint members and Abbey organist David Davies, will bring us music both ancient and modern. There will be seventeenth century polyphony by Portuguese composer Diego Melgáz, and eighteenth century music by Boston folklorist William Billings. There will also be sacred choral music by nineteenth century composer Anton Bruckner.

David Davies

There will be music by twentieth century composers, including Herbert Sumsion who was Organist at Gloucester Cathedral from 1928 until 1967. The other twentieth century works are composed by three men all born in the late 1950s. Moses Hogan, the New Orleans spiritual song writer sadly died in 2003, aged only 55. Frank Ticheli who was only a year younger, is still Professor of Music at the University of South California in Los Angeles.

Moses Hogan

Graham Keitch, who composes at Chichester Music Press and now lives in Manaton, has composed two pieces especially for the visiting choirs: "Resplenduit Facies Ejus" (His Face Shone) which was composed for a performance at Canterbury Cathedral which has been postponed owing to covid restrictions, and a setting of Psalm 8 "O Lord, Our Lord". Both will have their première at Buckfast Abbey on 9 July.

Graham Keitch

This Friday's 'Classical Journey' at 2pm will be given over to an interview with David Acres in South Carolina - where it will be 9am. David has also provided four tracks recorded by his various choirs.

The King's Counterpoint will perform Ralph Vaughan Williams' hymn "The Truth from Above".

Cantores Charleston will perform Cecil Alexander's 1853 "Saw Ye Never in the Twilight" set to the 1840 tune 'Harwell" by Lowel Mason.

Vox Regis will perform the poem "This Marriage" by thirteenth century Sufi poet Jalal al-Din Rumi, set to music by contemporary composer Eric Whitacre.

Contrapunctus Early Music will perform "Be Still my Soul, God is on my Side" a poem by early eighteenth century writer Katharina von Schlegel, translated by Jane Bothwick in 1855 and set to music as a hymn by Jean Sibelius as part of his tone poem "Finlandia" in 1899.

The programme will open with "Tourdion" a traditional French dance (literally 'the twist' but more of a galliard) which was the last piece performed by Counterpoint at that farewell concert in 2015. The recording we will hear was made at the Abbey in 1994 and featured the voices of Alison Burnett, Vicky Evans, Brian Northcott, Phil Hobbs, Gordon Pike, Tony Yates, Chris Walledge and Jonathan Watts.

Gordon Pike

There will be more classic 'Counterpoint' moments, and some recordings by James Bowman too.

After seven years, it will be a singular thrill to hear David on the air once again!

The King's Counterpoint

Buckfast Abbey

Saturday 9 July 7.30pm

CELESTIAL COUNTERPOINT

Musical Director: David Acres

Organist: David Davies

with members of 

'Contrapunctus Early Music' high voices ensemble

and the 'Counterpoint' Choir

Anton Bruckner - Orlando Gibbons

Moses Hogan - Georg Friederich Händel

Diogo Dias Melgás - Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla

Paul J Smith - Sir Charles Villiers Stanford

Sir John Tavener - Frank Ticheli

Tickets: £15

buckfast.org.uk/boxoffice

or from The Abbey Bookshop

Stephen Beville Sunday Afternoon Piano Recital 'Angels & Saints' with première performance of "Portrait of the Angel Raphael" Saint Margaret's Church Topsham 22 May 2022

The Well-Tempered Clavier in the spring sunshine

Stephen Beville opens his afternoon concert with

Bach's Preludes and Fugues in E and F major

Classical and Romantic -
The recital continues with
Beethoven's Pastoral Sonata
& 3 Chopin Nocturnes (Opus 15)

A new composition
Beville "Portrait of the Angel Raphael"
Complex and delicate

Increasingly acrobatic and expressive

Glissandi inside the piano
replicate the fluctuations
of the Angel's wings

From Angels - to Saints
Liszt "Deux Légendes"
François d'Assise
(La Prédication aux Oiseaux)

Grandiose and commanding

François de Paule
(Marchant sur les Flots)

Tempestuous and uplifting

A memorable performance

Compèred by - Lily Neal