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| George Pratt Kapellmeister at Powderham Castle plays the Bryce Seede Organ in the James Wyatt Music Room |
To all Friends of the 1769 Powderham Castle Organ Restoration Fund
- Mostly Bach -
A last reminder of the concert on Friday next, 26th, at 7.30 pm
for which Colin Jackson and I have been rehearsing with enormous enjoyment.
He will be playing two of Bach astonishing Suites for unaccompanied 'cello
– the solo instrument alone provides all the lyrical melody and rich harmony.
Colin plays on a glorious cello by Antonio Casini of Modena , 1678.
I’m looking forward, too, to telling you the detective story about a mistake in one movement of the first Suite. While Bach’s hard-pressed wife was copying it out for him, she must have been distracted by children, her husband demanding his supper, or some other such domestic crisis, and she inserted half a bar which clearly doesn’t belong. For 300 years it had been simply missed out – and I’m sure that’s wrong! Do come and see if I can convince you about my alternative solution….
We’re also playing two charming sonatas by Marcello for cello and keyboard,
and I’m adding a couple of short harpsichord pieces to provide a brief change of tone-colour.
There are still some tickets left for this (including a few free ones for students)
– ring Powderham Castle
Messiah on December 14th is selling fast and if you want to experience our ‘domestic-scale’ performance – eight of the finest singers in the South West together with the strings, wind and trumpet of Divertimento – I suggest you should not delay too long before ordering tickets. It will, as usual at that time of year, include the chance to enjoy mince pies and mulled wine by the roaring log-fire in the State Dining Room during the interval.
Tickets for each concert are £14, with a student offer of £7.50 for October 26th, once the 10 free student ones have been taken up.
St John's Church Totnes, Sunday 11th November 3pm, Divertimento will be presenting a concert of string sextets - music with a hauntingly warm, rich texture which is quite rare.
They will be playing:
Sextet No 1 in B flat by Johannes Brahms
'Verklärte Nacht' (Transfigured Night) Opus 4 by Arnold Schoenberg
(a very audience-friendly work written before he embarked on his more challenging ‘twelve-note’ style!) The music will be presented, and the audience enlightened, by Cornish musician Colin Hodgetts (Performing Rights Society, Contemporary Music for All, Society for the Promotion of New Music).
Tickets £12, £2 off for concessions, students and children FREE.
Advance booking: Divertimento 01803 863677, Tourist Info 01803 863168
With all good wishes,
George Pratt
Kapellmeister
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