Would Leonard Cohen have been a lutenist?

In the 16th century, long before mp3 files and that now old fashioned  medium the CD (or in my house the LP!) people wrote and sang songs, about  deep feelings of life and mortality and matters of the heart and accompanied them on the lute.

Nowadays we often talk of singer songwriters. The death last week of Leonard Cohen  reminds us strongly of this tradition.  Yes, I think that if he had lived in an earlier time he would have been a lute song writer.

On Sunday afternoon we have a chance to hear music from  this time. Mary Morgan, soprano and Steve Graham, lutes,  return with a short programme of music, for solo lute and songs. Music by Thomas Campion,,  Morley and many others.       Come and hear them, you wont regret it.

4.00 pm Sunday 20th November. Cannington Parish Church. admission £8.00 students and children free.  Tea and home made cake for all!

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IT'S NOVEMBER AND S.CECILIA

What a simply splendid concert we had last month with the Phoenix Singers! It was gratifying also to have a good sized audience. It would help me to build numbers if you could spread the word, maybe a bring a friend?

November brings us to our annual St Cecilia tide concert. This time we welcome Mary Morgan, soprano and Steve Graham, lute for another of their evocative concerts. They last came three years ago and generously gave their talents to raise money for the renovation of the organ. It should be a really good afternoon. Yes, I did type afternoon as we shall meet on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy tea afterwards.

As soon as I have details of the programme I will publish it here and on the Facebook page

Not long now!

The Phoenix Singers

Taunton chamber choir ‘The Phoenix Singers’ under their music director, Andrew Maddocks, are delighted to be coming to the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Cannington, as part of the Cannington Music series of concerts. The concert, which takes place on Saturday 15th October commencing at 7.30pm, is entitled ‘Contrasts’ and will provide the audience with an exciting programme of very diverse styles and periods of music.

The first half of the concert focuses on sacred music spanning five centuries from two beautifully crafted motets of Thomas Tallis (O natus lux) and William Byrd (Christe qui lux es) in the 16^th Century to the ethereal and more recent music of American composers, Eric Whitacre and Randall Thompson, using multiple voice-part settings of the single word, Alleluia. The Estonian composer, Arvo Pärt, will also feature strongly in this part of the programme including his setting of Psalm 96 (Cantate Domino), and Bogoroditsye Dyevo (Ave Maria).

To follow this reflective part of the evening, the second half of the concert will see the Choir perform music that celebrates the words of Shakespeare in this the 400^th anniversary of his death. Musical settings of the bard’s words by John Rutter (Birthday Madrigals and Fancies) and an exquisite arrangement by Bob Chilcott of William Walton’s ‘Touch her soft lips and part’, music from his Henry V film score.

Tickets for the event are priced £8 and are available in advance on-line at www.thephoenixsingers.co.uk or by phoning 01823 432704. They will also be on sale at the door.

PHOENIX SINGERS

What a splendid concert we were given by Zephyr a few weeks ago! It is time now for another real treat.  The Phoenix Singers make a very welcome return. You can read the details in their poster below.

As you see on the poster here is a link to their website www.thephoenixsingers.co.uk

A while ago they sent me their provisional programme and here it is. I will post the final one when I have it.  I am sure you will agree that it  should be a wonderful evening.

• Christe qui lux es et dies – Byrd

• Alleluia – Randall Thompson 

• Littlemore Tractus [+ organ] - Arvo Part

• Bogoroditse Djevo - Arvo Pärt 

• Organ solo?

• Cantate Domino canticum novum  - Arvo Pärt 

• Alleluia – Eric Whitacre 

• O nata lux – Tallis 

INTERVAL

Madrigals:

• Sing we and chant it – Morley 
• Lady, when I behold – Wilbye 

Fancies - Rutter

• The Riddle Song 
• Tell me where is fancy bred 
• There is a garden in her face 

• Solo song & readings 

Madrigals:

• Mother, I will have a husband – Vautor 
• Adieu, sweet Amaryllis – Wilbye 
• Lady, your words do spite me – Wilbye 

Shakespeare Songs – Mathias

• It was a lover and his lass 
• Sigh no more, ladies 

• solo song & readings 

• Who is Silvia? - Harris 
• Touch her soft lips and part – Walton arr Chilcott 

Birthday Madrigals – Rutter

• It was a lover and his lass 
• Come live with me 

LATE SUMMER DELIGHTS

August is half way gone and now we are looking forward to the next in our series of concerts. We stopped for two months during the holiday period but we are back next month for what promises to be an exciting evening of music..

Together Ruth Molins and Sally Jenkins  make Zephyr,   a flute and harp duo, based in Somerset.  We have met Sally before. She is the Director of The J Singers who gave our Christmas concert last year.  

Let Sally tell you about themselves -

"In March 2015, Sally Jenkins (harp) and Ruth Molins (flute) performed  Mozart, Concerto for Flute and Harp with Exeter Symphony Orchestra and have since developed an exciting musical partnership performing both treasured and hidden gems of the flute and harp repertoire.  Sally is an experienced pedal and early triple harpist who has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall, her musical skills were developed by Jeanette Bevan (Royal Ballet Orchestra), Meinir Heulyn (Welsh National Opera Orchestra) and Frances Kelly (Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment). Ruth is a 'virtuosic' flautist currently studying flute with orchestral specialism under the guidance of Susie Hodder-Williams (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra). She read Music and English Literature at Cardiff University, studying flute with Susan Buckland, playing in masterclasses with Anna Noakes, Jonathan Snowden and Michael Cox. She enjoys a successful freelance career.!

With harp playing described as 'other-worldly' and a flautist who 'lives every note with such grace and poise', ZEPHYR promise to enchant.   

"We'll be performing a big range of music from American Sketches to some Ravi Shankar - sorry we've not completely firmed up the programme yet. "

There is more information on their website http://www.ruthmolins.com/zephyr-duo.html where you can also hear some of their music.

It should be a wonderful evening so put the date in your diary

Cannington Music. the Parish church of S Mary the Virgin, Cannington, nr Bridgwater.
Zephyr, a flute and harp duo
7.30 pm Friday 9th September 2016 £8.00 at the door only

We look forward to seeing you!

referendum blues?

If you are not too traumatised by staying up late for the results why not join us?

post referendum

When we fixed the date for this concert we had no idea that the Referendum would be fixed for the day before.   When we meet we shall know if we are in or out of the EU.  I do not say out of Europe. Europe is more than the EU - witness my lovely Belgian missus!
We are having an exciting year for voting. First a Muslim mayor for London, now  a huge decision on the future of this country and, later in the year, possible great changes in the USA.

So my choice of music will be European and American. Some old, some very modern but all I hope entertaining.  Once again I aim to sing!  And, once again, it will be a shortish concert with time to chat and share a glass afterwards.