An Early Christmas Present

By Richard Brewer

I'm a flautist, in case you didn't know. As part of the woodwind family, we don't tend to mix too much with other instrument sections, let alone become friends with them. In fact, I actually lived with a cornet player at University; he played his instrument a lot, and on numerous occasions paraded around the first floor blasting out a rather average version of William Tell when we were all trying to sleep. As you can probably tell, they aren't my favourites, brass players...

It may seem unusual, then, that I am actually writing this blog about brass. Next Friday 21^st, we have our final cafe concert of the Autumn series. Involving regular members of the brass section of the orchestra, the concert is a continuation of the popular 'Secrets of the Orchestra' series. 'Brass Unwrapped' will showcase the main four instruments of the orchestral brass section – trumpet, horn, trombone and tuba. In the chamber music repertoire that Southern Sinfonia regularly play, it is rare that we see the brass section in this sort of setting. Usually, they have been tucked away behind a pillar (ahem...because they play too loudly...ahem) due to space restrictions, or because they just aren't involved.

Despite my slightly less favourable feelings towards the brass instruments, this concert will be a fantastic experience. To see any sort of event in which a professional musician showcases their talents is a pleasure, and this will be no different. Whether you are young or old, it will no doubt be fascinating to learn new facts about the brass family. I am a firm believer that we should constantly continue to learn throughout our lives, and this is a perfect example of an event that is accessible for all.

We have 80 school children coming along next Friday. As an orchestra who prides itself on our work in education, it was music to our ears when the school expressed interest in coming along. What an experience it will be for them, too, given that the majority of them have been recently learning the trumpet! Hearing that year 3 pupils have been learning a new instrument, and are obviously keen to come and learn more about it, is very pleasing to hear on a personal level. I wish I had had the opportunity to be inspired at such a young age by an event such as this; I never really experienced music in this setting at all and only continued through a genuine passion. 

In light of these school children who are obviously so eager to be involved in music, it was upsetting to see the Education Secretary's comments this past week about music and the arts. Nicky Morgan warned pupils that choosing to study arts subjects at school “could hold them back for the rest of their lives.” Nonsense. The recent success of the BBC Ten Pieces initiative has shown just how many children want to be involved with music; how far are they going to be able to continue this interest if our Education Secretary says things like this? 

Southern Sinfonia will always to be committed to Education. No matter what anyone else says, the huge success of our Education projects have shown us that children want to learn. The concert next Friday is a chance for not only the young children, but for all of us to learn. Let's just hope the trumpet player doesn't send for the cavalry with William Tell, because a few of those angry thoughts may creep back in to my head...

Click here to book tickets for Friday's concert. You can also find out more about Southern Sinfonia by visiting our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A New Team Member and a New Season

By Richard Brewer

Hello and welcome to the first blog of our exciting 25^th Anniversary season! I am the new intern here at Southern Sinfonia, and I am thrilled to be writing the first entry in the blog at the start of a very special, celebratory year.  

Firstly, let me give you a few facts I'd tell you if we were on a first date...I recently graduated this summer from the University of Sheffield with a degree in Music, and now I'm hoping to begin a career in the big wide world of arts management. I am a first study flautist, and have a big interest in Shostakovich – writing a 15,000 word thesis on his String Quartets Nos. 8 and 15 last year. Aside from the musical world, I am a keen, if somewhat average, cricketer. If any of you are cricket fans, please come over and find me at one of our concerts this season! The way English cricket is going, however, it might be a short and depressing chat. Nevertheless, I'm tall and approachable so come and introduce yourself regardless of whether you like cricket! 

With this being Southern Sinfonia's 25^th Anniversary season, our first major concert is “Classical Celebration”. Held on 31^st October in the beautiful St Nicolas Church in Newbury, the evening will contain an eclectic mix of Mozart and Beethoven. We are thrilled that our patron, Sir Roger Norrington, will be conducting some wonderful music. Fresh from his two outstanding performances at the BBC Proms this year, Sir Roger will be joined by winner of the Hampshire Singer of the Year 2013 – Sarah-Jane Lewis. It promises to be a fantastic evening of music and tickets are selling fast, so get yours soon! 

You don't have to wait until 31^st October to see some brilliant music, however. Our Cafe Concert series begins on Friday 26^th September with “one of the greatest up and coming young piano talents in the music world”, Martin James Bartlett. This year's winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year, Martin will providing a wonderful repertoire including Bach, Liszt and Prokofiev. Looking further into the Autumn (uh-oh, depressing...think sunshine), Friday 17^th October sees the Villiers Quartet, our Quartet in residence, visit the Corn Exchange. Their programme promises to give a thrilling lunch hour for the audience members, including works by Delius, Britten and Bridge, as well as a multimedia performance of Chris Roe's 'Jetez!'. 

These concerts will be my first taste of Southern Sinfonia, and I am thrilled to be given the chance to work with such a diverse and exciting orchestra. Live classical music is something that I absolutely love, and feel everyone should experience. Over the summer I attended a number of the BBC Proms (as a Prommer, of course, as I'm still pretending to be a student). I really do love the atmosphere both in the Royal Albert Hall, and outside on the steps as the queue grows along with the anticipation for the evening's concert. A particular highlight for me was the performance of Mahler Symphony No. 5. The work is one of my favourite Mahler symphonies (along with 2, 6, 8 and 9, if you're interested!). Standing in the middle of a very warm, packed-out arena, I was completely transfixed from start to end. As the final chord of the powerful, sublime fourth movement died away, I looked around and saw nearly everyone staring intently, not making a sound. Everyone in the audience that night was mesmerised by what they saw and heard, and that is why live classical music is such a wonderful thing. 

@bbcproms

With this in mind, I can't wait for my first taster of Southern Sinfonia, and what an opening concert it will be! I look forward to meeting lots of you there on October 31^st as Sir Roger brings the baton down on Mozart and Beethoven. 

You can find more about Southern Sinfonia by visiting our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more images and information! 

Ten Top Facts about the Recorder

Southern Sinfonia is very excited about this week’s Café Concert, taking place at Newbury Corn Exchange on Friday 5^th July at 1.00pm. The event will feature the UK’s leading recorder ensemble, ‘The Flautadors’. Formed in 1997, this award winning quartet have appeared at major festivals, been played on various radio stations, released a number of recordings and undertaken a series of established education projects.

The group aspire to recreate the 15^th-18^th centuries, playing on a number of recorders of various designs, choosing the perfect design style to match the music being performed.

In honour of The Flautadors’ upcoming performance and chosen instrument, Southern Sinfonia would like to present its Ten Top facts about the beautiful woodwind instrument that is the recorder:

1. Most commonly, the smallest recorder played is the ‘Sopranino’, which is usually 24cm long. The largest is the ‘Contra Bass’, which is often 152cm. Both are played in the key of F.
2. The largest fully functioning recorder ever made was 5m long. Each hole was 8.5 cm wide and it was created from specially treated pine. The finished product was as tall as a giraffe!
3. Learning to play the recorder is very popular in schools because it teaches children about coordination.
4. The first English reference to the word recorder meaning a musical instrument appeared in 1388, when it was spelled ‘Recourdour’.
5. One of the oldest surviving wooden recorders is a 14^th century renaissance descant recorder found in Holland.
6. The Italian word for the recorder is ‘flauto dolce' which translates as ‘soft, sweet flute’.
7. King Henry VIII played and collected recorders; he had 76 in his collection when he died. 
8. Shakespeare used a recorder to produce incidental music for ‘Hamlet’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
9. Musicians Paul McCartney, Dido and Bruce Spingsteen can all play the recorder. James Dean is also supposed to have learnt to play Bach on the instrument.
10. 3.5 million plastic recorders are produced each year. 

Our Café Concert on Friday 5^th July is the perfect opportunity to see this wonderful instrument expertly played. Click here to buy tickets for the event and see The Flautadors bring the 16^th Century to life.

Remember to subscribe to our blog for more updates; alternatively you can also visit the Southern Sinfonia website

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Speed Interview with Alexander Hohenthal

Needless to say, we are very excited about the third Cafe Concert in our 2012/13 series. Taking place on Friday 23 November at Corn Exchange, Newbury and featuring a very special performance of JS Bach's Goldberg Variations, it promises to be fantastic way to start the weekend. We caught up with Alexander Hohenthal (Southern Sinfonia's leader) who will be performing the Goldberg Variations (along with Heather Tuach and Colin Scobie, of course) to ask a few quick questions...

1. What has been your career highlight so far?
In terms of career, any performance in London, Buenos Aires, Vienna and so on comes to mind, certainly the Expo 2000 in Hannover together with Sir Roger Norrington - but basically, I am quite critical if not neurotic about my efforts. Only one or two concerts every year match my own expectations and "cut the mustard". As a result, some of what I consider my best concerts have been in minor halls for small audiences - "success" is in the search for improvement, something that never ends in the world of music.

2. When/ where are you most happy?
As stated above, when I feel the performance meets my demands - other than that, being with my family and friends!

3. Which person (living or dead) do you most admire and why?
Any person who has the integrity to hold on to his / her convictions and believes regardless of trial and adversity is my idol.

4. How do you relax when you're not performing?
Cooking and dining with friends and family. Red wine and cigars might be involved!

5. If you could travel back in time, where would you go?
I often think I was born too late, maybe the 19th century?

6. What other skill/ talent would you like to possess?
Play the piano properly, be a kinder father, raise enough wealth to help other people, have more patience, be content with the world and myself. Realistic? Maybe not, but a man can dream...

7. What is your favourite book?
The one I’m reading at the time.

8. What is the most played piece of music in your CD collection?
Over the years, as one does, I had many favourite recordings at a time, and the list is long: Hora Zero (Astor Piazolla), Friday Night in San Francisco (Paco de Lucia, John MCLaughlin, Al di Meola), Paolo Conte, Jaques Brel, Cannonball Adderley,...
Oh, and there is classical as well?!
Brahms Intermezzi played by Radu Lupu.

9. Does leading Southern Sinfonia differ from leading a European orchestra?
Preparation of a programme in only one or two rehearsals as opposed to nearly a week of rehearsals, which requires much mental alertness and efficiency- a great quality about English musicians. However, on top of accuracy comes the transformation into heartfelt music making, which we try to accomplish more and more every time we play together.

10. What's the best thing about leading Southern Sinfonia?
Friendship and camaraderie.

For more information about Alexander's upcoming performance, please visit our website.

Best recordings of the Goldberg Variations ever?

For the third of our 2012/13 Cafe Concerts, three of Southern Sinfonia's finest players are coming together to perform a very special arrangement of JS Bach's Goldberg Variations (for string trio). With this in mind, we've been having a think about some of the best recordings of the Goldberg Variations ever and here are some of your suggestions...

1. Glenn Gould - 1955

‘A performance that I shall treasure, for it has the kind of architecture in tone which is often longed for but rarely found.’ (Gramophone)

2. Glenn Gould - 1981

‘This is surely the finest of Gould’s recordings.’ (Gramophone)

3. Angela Hewitt

'This is Bach on the piano of the highest quality imaginable' (The Guardian)

 4. Murray Perahia

‘Murray Perahia’s Goldberg Variations aren’t just colourful, or virtuoso, or thorough in terms of repeats, but profoundly moving as well’. (Gramophone)

 

5. András Schiff

‘It's astonishing that this note-perfect recording was taken from a live performance (in Basel)’ (BBC Music Magazine)

 

6. Rosalyn Tureck

‘Under her amazing fingers the piano barely seems a percussive instrument at all: in places she sings, strokes or caresses, in others she seems to pluck or strum, but rarely does she hit. Her sound has an incredible warmth and intimacy, with awesome control and articulation at the softest dynamics.’ (Gramophone)

Alexander Hohenthal, Heather Tuach and Colin Scobie perform JS Bach's Goldberg Variations on 23 November at Corn Exchange, Newbury. For more information, please visit our website.