A bumper month of classical shows
MAY was a bumper month of lunchtime concerts at St Mary’s in the Baum, not just because there were five Wednesdays, but also because a chamber group, solo singers, a choir and a baroque ensemble were featured.
May 2: The Kell Wind Trio has a reputation for giving lively and informative concerts of music from many different styles and genres.
This was certainly upheld on May 2, with works by Haydn, Elgar, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Mozart, Manzer and Offenbach.
The members are all principals with orchestras in the Manchester area: Alastair Roberts in Wilmslow, Geoffrey Smith in Stockport,Cheshire Sinfonia in Wilmslow and Nicholas Fox in Salford.
May 9: Soprano Sarah Simmonds began her career as a rock singer with Fatal Charm before her classical training at Nottingham University.
She also sang with the renowned Swingle Singers for three years before working as a session singer for several film soundtracks. Such a diverse background produced an accomplished and varied programme of character songs by Dring, a cycle by Schumann and songs by Debussy, Ireland and Rodrigo.
She was supported superbly by pianist and Chetham’s and Royal Northern College of Music teacher Dr Sarah Murphy, who also contributed a piano solo by Grieg.
May 16: Popular local soprano Alyson Brailsford was joined by tenor Graham Ascroft and accompanied by Elaine Marsden, who also contributed a Dave Brubeck solo.
Their varied programme began with a duet from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, followed by songs by Lockton, Adams, Seymour Smith, Jim Parker, Vivien Ellis and Besig, as well as songs from shows by Gilbert and Sullivan, Lloyd Webber, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Lerner and Loewe.
May 23: Rochdale Retirement Choir, conducted by Freda Farnworth and accompanied by the Rev Graham Marshall, sang a mixture of classical choral pieces and songs from the shows by Lloyd Webber and Rodgers and Hammerstein and selections from Les Miserables and Show Boat. Now independent from Rochdale Music Service, this mixed-voice choir of approximately 50 members welcomes newcomers. The group rehearses at St Aidan’s, Sudden, on Monday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm.
May 30: The Telemann Baroque Ensemble is fast becoming a regular feature of this concert series, the traditional harpsichord giving it an authentic sound quality.
The personnel for this particular concert were Alistair Roberts on flute, Elaine Turnock on violin, John Goodstadt on viola, Roger Bisby on cello and Peter Collier on the harpsichord.
They celebrated the wonderful acoustic at St Mary’s with music by Quantz, Telemann, Abel and JC Bach.