A well constructed programme with a balance of well known and less familiar music and fine performances from a very talented organist on this wonderful instrument made for another very enjoyable evening at All Saints’.

Simon Hogan currently enjoys a freelance career, as well as dividing his time with posts in London and Oxford. He began with a piece which was new to me, Fiesta, by E L Diemer. This lively, Latin-inspired piece with contrasting sections, set the scene very well. The rest of the opening half was made up with mostly well-known French music by Bonnet, Franck, Verne and Gigout. A particular highlight for me - and for others I spoke with - was the hauntingly melancholic Prelude, Fugue & Variations by Cesar Franck. Vierne’s lively Carillon de Westminster brought the first half to a close.

The second half opened with a lesser known Bach composition - Concerto in C. It was followed by a rare outing for a substantial and quite individual piece by the sadly recently deceased (but long-lived!) Francis Jackson, Toccata, Chorale & Fugue. I have said on many other occasions that it is good that more recent music such as this and the opening piece are given room in these concerts. The remainder of the music all had associations with the Coronation. All very well known, it began with Walton’s Crown Imperial (in which we saw some particularly skillful and numerous registration changes executed by Mrs Hogan, as she had assisted throughout) and ended with a spirited performance of Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance No 1.

A beautifully registered rendition of an additional Walton piece, Popular Song from ‘Facade’, was given by Simon as a fitting encore bringing this highly satisfying concert to a close.

The series continues for the next few weeks. Details from www.oldtownparishhastings.org.uk

Stephen Page

An appreciative audience gathered to hear the first concert of the new season of this well established summer season. Daniel Moult is Head of Organ at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and is very much involved in the world of organ education and broadcasting including with the BBC. Opening with a selection from Handel’s Water Music he gave an entertaining evening of varied music from different periods and a range of compositional styles.

Alfred Hollins’ A Song of Sunshine brought us a glimpse of the lighter side of the concert organ whilst Derek Bourgeois’ Variations on a theme by Herbert Howells gave a taste of the 20th Century English Cathedral tradition and a contemporary reworking. This was a highlight for me, along with Schumann’s beautifully flutey Studie IV. It is always good to have some Bach in an organ recital and on this occasion it was a lesser know large work, the Toccata in C.

Franck, Widor, Lebrun and Samuel Wesley also featured. Throughout the evening Daniel Moult showed an excellent command of the instrument, with deft foot and finger work as well as rapid registrations and skilful changes of manual. His enthusiastic introductions combined with sheer physicality on a very warm evening were all greatly appreciated.

Concerts continue on Mondays throughout the summer. Details at www.oldtownparishhastings.org.uk

SP

Much like the extras on a Blu-ray box set there is often much to entertain and inform in the smaller ‘side’ events at a festival. Two artists involved in this year’s festival gave this intimate presentation through informal conversation and the chance for audience questions interspersed with some delightful performances.

Sally Beamish, composer and viola player and her friend concert accordionist James Crabb seemed completely at ease as they talked together about their musical beginnings, experiences and influences. The music featured was a lovely lilting Scottish folk tune arrangement, variations on an old English tune and an arrangement of a piece by Sally Beamish originally written for a small jazz ensemble. The unlikely but beautiful pairing of viola and concert accordion worked so well, due I am sure in no small part, to the rapport between the two players as well as the sensitive approach to their respective instruments. The small but appreciative audience seemed very pleased with what they had witnessed in the tranquil environment that is St Peter & Paul church, Peasmarsh. I think we would have all liked it to go on much longer.

Stephen Page

At the present time Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado is a tricky one to perform in an entertaining way, without provoking cries of, racism, cultural appropriation and general bad taste. Opera South East managed to pull it off on April 9/10 at the White Rock Theatre.

The artistic director, Denis Delahunt, made sure that references to the Japanese, in any derogatory way, were removed, and that the costumes were suitably modern. The emphasis was on fun.

The soloists were all very individual characters. The ‘three little girls from school’, entertained with their schoolgirl mannerisms and penchant for taking group selfies. Yum-Yum, played by Louisa Alice-Rose, grew up somewhat in the second half and gave us the full beauty of her voice in solo arias

Ko-Ko played by Oscar Smith was outstanding thoughout, holding our attention expressing fun and warmth in tension with his dastardly plans. His modernised ‘little list’, was full of laughs.

The chorus supported well musically, but I must confess I found them too static. Even though the set included an outside café, I don’t think anyone sat down and no drinks were served.

William O’Brien as Pooh-Bah however, utilised stiffness to express his character, which was only softened by ‘the insult of a bribe’.

The production was a triumph over the adversity of Covid stops and starts since 2019, and should be congratulated on its fruition.

Sally Hick

Beginning in style with Mozart’s Symphony No 39 in E flat, the orchestra opened this concert which, although featuring the two groups was really the choir’s night! It was good to see the combined forces in action for the two pieces which followed – Morten Lauridsen’s five movement Lux Aeterna and the second Mozart composition of the evening, his well-loved Requiem.

A large and appreciative audience soaked up the music in the wonderful Victorian Anglo-Catholic splendour of Christchurch. At this time when it is still an act of faith to plan a performance on this scale and when there has been so much disruption and uncertainty for musicians it was a treat to experience this live in-person event involving so many talented and commited musicians.

The two choral works, both settings of liturgical memorial words carried additional poignancy in this remembrance season as the evening was also dedicated to three supporters of the choir who have died in recent months. One of these is Dr Brian Hick, founder of this website.

I was particularly looking forward to hearing the Lauridsen as it is a late 20th century work, a complete contrast in musical language to the works by Mozart but sharing the affinity of the text with that of the Requiem. I was a little disappointed, not for lack of commitment or effort on anyone’s part, but because of the imbalance in volume between choir and orchestra. At times this caused discrepancies in tuning and some uncertain entries. This is not easy music and even in the more subdued passages careful and confident placing of pitch is essential. There were some beautiful moments, most noticeably when the orchestral forces were greatly reduced, proving that the choir was capable but simply disadvantaged on this occasion.

There were similar issues with balance in the Requiem but the choir’s familiarity with this work meant that, despite this, it was carried off with confidence. The four excellent soloists each gave fine controlled performances producing some lovely contrasting sections throughout. I was surprised however that I found the line-up of folder, book and two different coloured I-pads quite distracting! There were some spine-tingling moments, noticeably the beginnings of the Lacrymosa and Sanctus. The overall performance from the combined forces here proved to be a satisfying conclusion to an enjoyable evening under the familiar baton of Marcio da Silva.

It is good to see the Philharmonic Choir back, performing a mixture of the well-known and the less performed, together with another great outing for the Philharmonic Orchestra. Hopefully something creative can be done to address the balance issue in the future so that the two groups will continue to flourish and collaborate.

Further information for both groups may be found at
https://www.hastingsphilchoir.org.uk
https://www.hastingsphilharmonic.com

Stephen Page