Is Classical Music Dying? – No! But Education is Vital

By Chris Billingham

Another day, another person claiming that classical music is dying. This week’s statement comes from Conductor Kent Nagano who is reported to have said that classical music could be “gone in a generation”. He cited budget cuts and a lack of music education as his reasoning for this, stating that “"there is a problem in communication” and the modern generation see classical music as "something that belongs to the past". 

It is very easy to dismiss this as something that has been said a hundred times before. There is however, in my opinion, a lot to consider in the idea that a lack of music education could have devastating effects. Not just necessarily on the classical music industry, but the music industry as a whole. Whilst there are many commendable efforts to resolve the situation, in the UK for example The Arts Council, on behalf of the Department for Education, have invested more than £171 million of funding between August 2012 and March 2015 in a network of 123 Music education hubs across England. As well as this smaller community and musical groups are also running local programmes (find out more about our own programme here). However a recent report from Ofsted on music in schools reported, “far too much provision was inadequate or barely satisfactory. Nearly all schools recognised the importance of promoting a diverse range of musical styles but far fewer had a clear understanding about how all students should make good musical progress as they moved through the curriculum”. A situation that appears to be repeated worldwide, in 2009, California diverted $109 million from music programs. This led to the closure of music departments across half of California's 10,000-plus public schools.

This isn’t just worrying from a “classical music is dying” point of view. Teaching music directly benefits learning and aids learning and growth in other subjects too. From the science seen in a musical score, the mathematics in rhythms, the physical education from the use of muscles when playing and the knowledge of culture and foreign language that comes from historical pieces. The reasons to insist we teach young people music really are endless and for me the most important element of Kent Nagano’s comments.

In terms of his wider comments about classical music dying, well… this is a debate that isn’t going to end with his comments anymore than it began with them. You can argue that funding cuts have led to less avenues for people to explore music, however you could also argue that technology has made classical music more accessible than it has ever been. When I was younger it would have cost me a lot of money to purchase a range of classical music pieces on cassette and CD. Now someone could lose days exploring titles and numerous performances of these titles on YouTube.

Another argument those fearing classical music is nearing its end use is the fact that its audience is traditionally older. The counter argument to this is the fact that cinema, video games and new mainstream pop acts (do I need to talk about Clean Bandit on this blog AGAIN?) are introducing classical music to new audiences. Whether it’s traditional performances at the BBC Proms or events such as the OAE Night Shift series designed to be unique and reach a new younger audience, attendance figures of all ages are still high.

In my opinion Kent Nagano doesn’t need to be as negative on the wider situation, as he is, however he is definitely right about music in education. The exciting and appealing thing about this topic is this is just my opinion, every classical music fan has a different opinion on this subject and that is why it keeps coming up and is constantly discussed.

What are your thoughts? Is classical music dying? How serious is the situation in music education? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter.

Chocolates, Countdowns and a Concert – Looking ahead at the Easter Weekend

By Chris Billingham

It’s Easter!!! OK that doesn’t have quite the same impact as Noddy Holder screeching ‘It’s Christmaaaaaas’ but it doesn’t change the fact that tomorrow is Good Friday and the start of a 4-day Easter weekend! Excitingly for Southern Sinfonia this year’s Easter weekend starts with a performance at the Lighthouse in Poole. Tomorrow evening we join forces with Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and conductor Gavin Carr for a performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. There is something special about performing music at a time it was composed to be performed. As most are no doubt aware St. Matthew Passion is divided in two parts to be performed on Good Friday. Tomorrow’s performance will no doubt inspire the same thrills that playing Handel’s Messiah at Christmas time stirs up.  

In the wider classical music world a number of people on our social media news feeds are beginning to get excited about the unveiling of this years Classic FM Hall of Fame. This year marks the 20th year of the countdown and the question many seem to be asking is simple:

Does The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams deserve to remain number one?

At the time of writing Twitter certainly seems to think so, supportive tweets include “some think Lark Ascending is over exposed but it just has to be the most relaxing 15 minutes in Classical Music” and “There's nothing so relaxing as listening to 'The lark Ascending' while doing DIY. Thanks for the tunes RVW and #ClassicFM”.

Personally I agree that the piece is incredibly powerful to listen to. The way the music evolves creates vivid images of English summertime and countryside. I also think the Hall of Fame countdown should rightly take cultural impact into account. From its influences on Milford, Alwyn and many others to its appearance in films, sporting events, plays and of course Coronation Street, the piece has embedded itself into the minds of musicians and non musicians alike. Richard Brewer, who many of you will know from his work at Southern Sinfonia and superb blog writing, had this to say...

"It's true that the Lark Ascending is 15 minutes of pure bliss. We played it in Bath Abbey back in November with the wonderful Madeleine Easton showing us how it's done. Whilst I do enjoy the piece, I am a firm believer that there is so much more incredible music out there that never gets a mention. The Classic FM Hall of Fame is fantastic for classical music; for some, it may even be the only time they listen to the genre all year. However, my belief is that there are a huge number of other pieces that equally deserve the top spot. I definitely couldn't decide myself though..."

Between chocolate, tomorrows concert and the Classic FM Hall of Fame there are clearly a number of reasons to be excited for this weekend, what are your plans? Will you be joining us in Poole for St. Matthew Passion? Click here if you want to find out more including ticket details. Will you be listening to the Hall of Fame countdown? Do you think The Lark Ascending should be number one again? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter. You can also visit our website to find out more about Southern Sinfonia.

We hope you have a brilliant weekend whatever your plans may be. Happy Easter!

"Creative and Playful" - Further Classical Interpretations on Modern Songs

By Chris Billingham  

You may remember at the end of January I wrote an article about the way classical instruments (or indeed any instrument) and different arrangements can be used to enhance a song, change its tone and make it appeal to completely different audiences. A number of people told us that they enjoyed the article and loved watching and listening to alternative versions of the songs chosen. This was all the encouragement I needed to select 5 more covers that reflected and stimulated discussion surrounding this theme!

‘Wonderwall’ by Oasis performed by Noel Gallagher with Crouch End Choir and Wired Strings 

No matter what genre is being played and no matter who is playing it, the Royal Albert Hall is still an incredible venue to host concerts. However despite it’s iconic look and feel adding to a number of rock concerts over the years (The Killers released a live DVD filmed at the venue that is particularly good), something about its design and atmosphere cries out for classical input. The fact that Noel Gallagher is accompanied by Crouch End Choir and Wired Strings and performing in this setting makes this version of the iconic song so effective. Whilst it isn’t necessarily a reimagining of the song and there is also still undoubtedly a place for the rawness of the original version, this version manages to feel very special, like people were always meant to hear it played in this way.

‘I Want You Bach’ – “Jackson 5’s funky “I Want You Back” mashed-up with 5 illustrious themes written by J.S. Bach” performed by The Piano Guys

Yep. Bach meets Jackson 5. The combination we were all dreaming off before the talented and imaginative Piano Guys made our wishes a reality! I contemplated saving this until the end of the article because of its sheer uniqueness and quirky nature. However, in many ways the fact that this is such an alternative interpretation makes it a nice contrast to Noel Gallagher playing Wonderwall! The Piano Guys state in the description for this video that “What if the harpsichord from the 1770s hit headlong into the talk box from 1970s? What if J.S. Bach and Jackson 5 met up and just jammed? Would they jive? Can you dig it?” which in many ways perfectly captures the joy of experimenting with music and songs that are already ingrained into peoples consciousness to create something fun and enjoyable for all audiences.

‘All About That Bass’ by Meghan Trainor performed by Postmodern Jukebox featuring Kate Davis

 
If you like your covers arguably more sophisticated than the Jackson 5/Bach mash up then the above video may be more enjoyable for you. Postmodern Jukebox is known on both YouTube and the live circuit for their clever and different interpretations of modern pop songs. The original version of ‘All About That Bass’ has an upbeat and catchy rhythm that translates perfectly into this jazz interpretation. The fact that Kate Davis is both playing the bass and singing perfectly leads you not being able to look away. As the comments on the video state, the above is creative and playful. 

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen performed by Newton Faulkner 

  

I grew up listening and watching footage of Queen thanks to my father’s love of the 1970s rock band. As well as watching concerts such as their stunning performance at Wembley Stadium I was lucky enough to see Brian May and Roger Taylor perform with Paul Rogers at Hyde Park. At all of these Queen used video and audio to present the orchestral section of this song. It wasn’t performed live, presumably because of its complexity. However in this interpretation Newton Faulkner performs the whole song. With nothing but a guitar. In front of potentially 50,000 people. In the rain. Whether you like Newton Faulkner or not this is undeniably impressive. The enjoyment and crowd reaction (especially 3.56 minutes into the video) highlights how enjoyable live music can be, whether it’s a full orchestra or one man and a guitar. Whilst the comments section on this particular video debates whether it is so effective because of Newton’s talent or Freddie Mercury and Queen’s song writing, I think it’s a combination of both. Actually I think it doesn’t matter – this is brilliant either way.

‘Supermassive Black Hole’ by Muse performed by Viktoriya Yermolyeva (vkgoeswild) 

Truth be told I could have picked any cover by vkgoeswild, her introduction video explains that when she was growing she performed Bach, Beethoven and a number of other composers. However as she grew up her attention turned to rock and heavy metal music. Her YouTube channel is now full of videos of her performing interpretations of Slipknot, Guns N Roses and Foo Fighters. All these performances showcase fantastic playing and the complex musicality behind heavy metal and rock music. I simply chose this cover of Supermassive Black Hole because it is a particularly complex piece and well… my Southern Sinfonia colleague Richard is a big fan of Muse! At the time of writing the vkgoeswild channel has received over 87,000 views, showcasing if nothing else the popularity of piano music and alternative interpretations of popular songs.

If you would like to get in touch with your favourite videos of covers on classical instruments visit our Facebook, Twitter or Website to contact us.

Don’t forget that two-time Tony Award nominee Jason Carr will be joined by Dame Felicity Lott and Melvin Whitfield for our next café concert ‘Jason Carr and Friends’ which takes place on March 27^th at 1.00pm in the Corn Exchange Newbury. Later that evening in St. Nicolas Church, Newbury at 7.30 we will present ‘Classical Celebration II’, a concert that will see us perform Elgar, de Souza and Mozart. Visit our website or links highlighted in this paragraph to purchase tickets.

The Bristol Proms – Exciting and Affordable

By Chris Billingham 

No matter how far you have to travel, incredible live performances and new musical experiences are always worth journeying too. However, it has to be said that it is a particular thrill when they are on your doorstep (even more so if they come in at an affordable price!). You can therefore imagine our excitement when Alison Balsom signalled the launch of this year's Bristol Proms with a fanfare performance at Paddington Station.

Taking place just up the road from us in Bristol, The Bristol Proms aims to invite  “world-class artists to exploit the classical repertoire in an informal, accessible atmosphere” (quote taken from the Bristol Old Vic website). Now in its third year, the festival has previously delivered some fantastic evenings and this year it looks set to do the same when it takes place at Bristol's Old Vic Theatre from July 27th - August 1st 2015.

Looking through the line up (which can be found here) there are a number of performances to get excited about. Daniel Hope headlines the opening night with an evening that looks at the rivalry between Tchaikovsky and Brahms. Milos Karadaglic, who The Sunday Times described as “probably the biggest classical-guitar phenomenon since John Williams in the 1960s and Julian Bream a decade below” combines artists in an evening entitled ‘From Bach To The Beatles’. Particularly exciting to me personally is the ‘The Night Shift Pub Crawl’ which will see the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment lead its audience on a pub crawl around Bristol (locations currently unconfirmed). As well as musical performances there will also be discussions; six talks take place with Jonathan James (subjects include ‘Beethoven Unwrapped’ and ‘A History Of Classical In 60 mins’) and John Suchet will interview John Rutter. It really is worth visiting the website and taking a look at all events.

The reason we are so excited about The Bristol Proms is their commitment to not only putting on interesting shows but shows that are affordable to everyone. Tickets are available from £5 and events such as the pub-crawl with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment will hopefully entice younger people and new audiences to the event. I’m not suggesting that young people need pubs to be involved to find something appealing! But it’s undeniably that a social event and something that could be considered informal is no doubt appealing. The barriers that have been put in place from high ticket prices and particularly formal atmospheres begin to come down, making classical music accessible to all. The importance of this can never be overstated.

As well as finding out more about The Bristol Proms we would also encourage everyone to attend our upcoming concerts! Two-time Tony Award nominee Jason Carr will be joined by Dame Felicity Lott and Melvin Whitfield for our next café concert ‘Jason Carr andFriends’ which takes place on March 27^th at 1.00pm in the Corn Exchange Newbury. Later than evening in St. Nicolas Church, Newbury at 7.30 we will present ‘Classical Celebration II’, a concert that will see us perform Elgar, de Souza and Mozart.

To find out more about Southern Sinfonia please visit our website, Facebook or Twitter page.

“It is not called playing the violin for nothing” - In discussion with Alexander Hohenthal

By Chris Billingham 

Next Friday audiences at 1pm in the Corn Exchange Newbury will be treated to Mozart and Mendelssohn at the latest Southern Sinfonia Café Concert. The pieces will be performed by The Hohenthal Trio, a combination of our Leader Alexander Hohenthal on violin, Nick Stringfellow on cello and Eleanor Hodgkinson playing piano.

To celebrate we are posting an interview that Richard and I conducted with Alexander at the end of last year. Alexander, who performs internationally as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and concertmaster, studied at the Mozarteum Salzburg with Ruggiero Ricci and Paul Roczek. His performances are critically acclaimed; Graham Caldbeck quite rightly described him as “outstanding – as a soloist, as a leader and as an all-round nice guy”.

In the video below you can hear Alex discuss musical inspirations, classical instruments, venues, audiences, family and more:

Thank you to Alexander for given us the opportunity to sit down with him, it was a wonderful afternoon and gave us some fascinating insights into life as a classical musician.

Don’t forget you can buy tickets for The Hohenthal Trio which takes place on Friday 27^th Febuary at 1pm here.

You can also find out more about our March concert ‘Classical Celebration II’ by visiting our events page or the main Corn Exchange website.

To find out more about Southern Sinfonia please visit our website, Facebook or Twitter page.

The Effect of Classical Interpretations on Modern Songs

By Chris Billingham 

In my last article I wrote about the line between classical music and modern music and how the former has influenced the later. This week I want to explore an element of this that wasn’t discussed last week. The way classical instruments (or indeed any instrument) and different arrangements can be used to enhance a song, change its tone and make it appeal to completely different audiences. From simply adding one new instrument to creating a full orchestral version of a song, different interpretations of songs can create incredible pieces of music.

‘Call Me Maybe’ by Carly Rae Jepsen performed by Ben Howard and Band

I’ll be honest, I never thought I would write about ‘Call Me Maybe’ on the Southern Sinfonia blog, the original version of this song is pure pop which depending on your opinion is either catchy and fun or irritating and childish. However when I began to think about arrangements and instruments changing the meaning and the feel of a song, the above version by Ben Howard was the first thing that came to my head. Despite the fact that they haven’t changed the lyrics, stripping back the track to guitar, violin and drums and slowing the tempo completely changes the way you view the song. Sung and performed in this arrangement lines like “I beg, and borrow and steal, Have foresight and it’s real, I didn’t know I would feel it, But it’s in my way” suddenly conjures up images of yearning for someone you can’t have, compared to the original which conjures up images of thinking someone is attractive and forcing them to have your number.

Despite the power that can be found in changing meaning, it’s not always the goal or indeed the reason a new version of a song can be so powerful. Sometimes adding layers can simply enhance what is already there. I already loved the album version of ‘The Things We Lost in the Fire’ by Bastille but there is something inspiring about watching the below version:

‘The Things We Lost in the Fire’ by Bastille performed by Bastille featuring Queen’s College Choir and Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra

The combination of Queen’s College Choir, the Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra and classical instruments such as the kettle drum add drama, grandeur and a sense of spectacle that whilst present in the original, comes alive in this version. As well as the performances, it is also the visuals that add this. Being able to see the amount of people contributing to the music immediately adds a sense of occasion, placing the sense of occasion you get from a classical concert into a modern context.

Modern technology has given all acts the opportunity to upload covers and content onto YouTube, whether it’s a band, choir and orchestra performing in a university or two violinists in a room:

‘I Will Wait’ by Mumford and Sons performed by Momento

The brilliant thing about this interpretation is using just two violins, Momento manage to turn a folk rock song into a classical piece. The incredibly clever way that they do this is by playing the instruments in unique ways, including strumming the violin in the way you would strum a guitar to create something fresh and exciting. The original song is performed on a range of instruments including banjos, keyboards and a double bass. Stripping this back to just the violin immediately makes the piece feel classical.

You do however recognise the Mumford and Sons original, I personally find myself still hearing that version in my head whilst appreciating the Momento version, which is part of the joy of listening to it. A classical interpretation that does however take me away from the original can be found below:

‘Story of my Life’ by One Direction performed by The Piano Guys

I can’t lie, I personally don’t mind One Direction at all, a number of their songs have great melodies and get inside your head. Therefore I know the original version of the above quite well, however despite this I still feel that the version above completely transforms this song. Using a piano and cello, The Piano Guys have created a beautiful piece of music that you loose yourself in as your mind wonders. Which is exactly my reaction to my favourite pieces of classical music.

When most people think of covers of modern rock songs using classical instruments their mind potentially turns to full orchestral covers, with acts such as the London Symphony Orchestra becoming renowned for their covers. For me, the best example of this I’ve heard recently is this:

‘Killing in the Name’ by Rage Against the Machine arranged and conducted by Nick Proch 

Again, I am a big fan of the original version of this song (I can’t be the only one with Rage Against the Machine AND One Direction on their iPod can I?????) and part of the thrill of this version is knowing what it starts as and seeing what is has become. The angry and volatile nature of the original disappears with this arrangement, instead it transforms into a theatrical piece of music that wouldn’t feel out of place the theme to a James Bond movie. A friend of mine who really doesn’t like the original version said that he wanted to purchase this version. That in many ways sums up this article and the power of rearranging and re-imagining music. It uncovers themes you didn’t realise were there, adds new meaning and appeals to a whole new audience.

To find out more about Southern Sinfonia please visit our Website, Twitter or Facebook. 

The Best Classical Music at Christmas

By Chris Billingham 

Christmas is a time that most of us connect to music in some way, whether it’s standing outside supermarkets singing carols, singing along to previous Christmas number ones or putting on that Michael Buble Christmas CD that is seemingly reissued every year. Just to be clear that isn’t a complaint! His version of Silent Night is beautiful. On Tuesday The Telegraph selected its Top Ten best pieces of Christmas classical music, a lovely read that you can find here. As regular readers will know, the Southern Sinfonia team selected its favourite pieces of Christmas music last year and I’m pleased to say that some of our choices and the Telegraph’s choices matched! It turns out great minds do think alike.

Bach’s Christmas Oratorio appears in both lists, which is hardly surprising given how popular the piece is this time of year. The six-part piece was written to be performed in church over the Christmas season of 1734, a date confirmed in Bach’s autographed manuscript. It is widely believed that the piece was not performed again until Christmas 1857 when it was played by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell. Each of the six parts was originally intended for performance on one of the major feast days of the Christmas period. However in modern times the piece is commonly performed as one with a running time of nearly three hours. Southern Sinfonia performed the full piece twice last year, once with Windsor and Eton Choral Society and once with Bath Minerva Choir. Both performances were rapturously received and as an audience member for the performance with Windsor and Eton Choral Society I have to say that when watching it, it doesn’t feel like 3 hours. The movements are captivating and the time goes by in an instant.

A piece we have played a number of times this Christmas that is unfortunately missing from The Telegraph’s list is Handel’s Messiah, which we performed with The Old Royal Naval College Chapel Choir. This isn’t that surprising given the fact that this piece isn’t solely a Christmas piece, despite the fact that it is performed most at this time of year. The piece is also performed at Easter because it deals with Christ’s death and resurrection. However as Richard Whittall said in a recent blog for The Guardian, the fact the piece is so popular at Christmas gives it a special place in everyone’s heart:

“Since it has become an annual Christmas tradition, most choristers have sung it in every venue, in every iteration, with every instrumentation and in every tempo, no matter how deranged or pseudo-experimental. And in that time they have come to know the strange miracle of Messiah: after years of the good and the bad and the ugly, there is always something new, something breathtaking, to be rediscovered in Handel’s writing and Charles Jennens’s libretto.”

A choice, exclusive to The Telegraph list is Tchaikovsky’s ‘Waltz of the Flowers’. As Ivan Hewett states in the article “What could be more appropriate for a child’s Christmas than a magic kingdom of sweets and presents? That’s the scene for Act 2 of Tchaikovsky’s last ballet The Nutcracker.” The connection between childhood and Christmas is perhaps the reason this time of year is so special, Christmas music and all the other elements of the season people love (the food! We can’t forget the food!) will no doubt take them back to childhoods filled with Santa’s and presents. Memories that are evoked by this exuberant and youthful waltz.

What are your favourite Christmas pieces? Let us know on our Facebook and Twitter pages what you will be listening to over the next few weeks! Southern Sinfonia has had a fantastic year and behalf off the whole team I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has attended a performance, played with us, sang with us and interacted with us online. We have a lot of surprises and treats coming up next year and can’t wait to share these with you. Keep an eye on our website for more. 

We hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

'Cultural Value and Artistic Importance' - Orchestras Potentially in Line for Tax Break

By Chris Billingham 

I’ve got to admit, I don’t usually pay a lot of attention to the Autumn Statement. I know I should, I know it’s important and I also know they even use words like ‘Beer Tax’ but the reality is it doesn’t usually grab my attention. However this week’s announcement caught my eye. I wasn’t alone either; a number of Orchestra or Classical Music related social media accounts and people I know had a lot to say about Wednesday’s speech from The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. 

The bit that caught people’s attention was: 

“The government is committed to supporting the creative industries so they continue to thrive in the UK. This government has introduced tax relief for high-end television programmes, animation, video games and theatre productions and has expanded the successful tax relief scheme for films. Building on this, the government will introduce a new tax relief for children’s television programmes from April 2015. The government will also launch a formal consultation in early 2015 about introducing a new tax relief for orchestras from April 2016, in recognition of their cultural value and artistic importance”. 

The fact that Orchestras and potential tax reliefs were specifically mentioned is a positive sign that the financial situation for Orchestras may be about to improve. When discussing this with a friend not connected in any way to the classical music world, the first question they understandably asked was “is the situation that bad for your industry?” Keith Motson, an executive at the Association of British Orchestras has helped clarify the situation by pointing out that "Orchestras earn well over 50% of their income from other sources so the chancellor’s commitment to tax relief can boost orchestras’ entrepreneurial efforts". He also explained “"British orchestras play more than 3,500 concerts a year to more than 4.5 million people. But they are facing one of the toughest periods in their history with cuts in public and, in particular, local authority funding”.

Researching into the subject, it does seem odd to me that Orchestras were not considered back in March when Osborne confirmed tax breaks of at least 20 per cent for commercial productions and regional touring companies, benefiting opera and dance organisations as well as plays, musicals and theatre groups. As previously explained my knowledge on the subject is not particularly wide but it seems unfair to differentiate between art forms and the financial advantages each one can have. Whilst it is fantastic that this consultation will take place next year, why is it that Orchestras aren’t paired with the “high-end television programmes, animation, video games and theatre productions” and “films” that already have various tax relief schemes. I suppose that is quite a naïve attitude, lines have to be drawn somewhere and the reality is if all forms of art were viewed by the government in the same way there wouldn’t be opportunities for tax breaks for anyone. However from the romantic viewpoint of someone that loves creativity it does seem a shame that imagination and art has to be judged and labelled in this way.  

 

Speaking of creativity and moving us firmly away from financing music and into the more comfortable territory of playing it, Southern Sinfonia have a number of exciting concerts on the horizon. On the 9^th December we join forces with the Windsor and Eton Choral Society for a performance of Handel’s Israel in Egypt at baroque pitch on ‘period’ instruments. After this we change locations to the candle-lit Old Royal Naval College, but stay with Handel and play his Messiah with the ORNC Chapel Choir on the 17^th December. To find out more about these concerts and next years events please click here for the What’s On section of our website. 

You can also find out more about Southern Sinfonia by visiting our main website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages. 

Drawing Together Disparate Threads - A Look at the Life and Work of Purcell

By Chris Billingham 

Today marks 319 years since the death of Henry Purcell, one of the most renowned English composers this world has seen. With undeniable influence on not just classical but rock music, it seemed right to dedicate this week’s blog to his story and body of work.

As the son of a musician (a gentleman of the Chapel Royal) Purcell grew up with music and lived only a few hundred yards from Westminster Abbey. However when his father died at 5 years old, his mother Elizabeth had to move the family to more modest accommodation. Purcell did however return to Westminster Abbey in later life when he became organist. Purcell took the position over from Dr. John Blow who is said to have stepped aside from the post after he recognised how talented Purcell was. After Purcell died he returned to the role and wrote An Ode, on the Death of Mr. Henry Purcell (Mark how the lark and linnet sing) in tribute to his former pupil. It’s pieces like this that give listeners an insight into what Purcell was like as a person, historians have to turn to these pieces because not much is known about who he was a person. 

Whilst we know the basic facts listed above a number of other details are debated and not much is known about his personality and attributes. It is said for example that he began composing at 9 years old, however the earliest work that can be certainly identified as his is an ode for the King's birthday, which was written in 1670 when he was 21. However his music (and the music created in his memory) tells us a lot. Purcell clearly had a lust for life. This can be seen in his instrumental music that contains upbeat melodic inspirations that make the listener picture summer and other vibrant scenes.  

Not every piece created these images however, when discussing the influence that folk music had on Purcell, British conductor and broadcaster Charles Hazlewood states that he took phrases and ideas from folk music at the time and created “a quiet sense of melancholy”. When presented with the more vibrant scenes its easy to see why Purcell’s music has stood the test of time, as Hazlewood goes on to state “he was amazingly successful at drawing together disparate threads”. 

In the same way that Purcell took the sounds and themes of folk music and turned them into something different, modern rock and pop acts have used Purcell’s music as an influence for themselves. The Who in particular were influenced by Purcell’s harmonies, his influence can be seen in some of their most renowned work including ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ and ‘Pinball Wizard’. Sections of Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary were also adapted to be used as the theme music for the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.  

When people think of English composer and Baroque music, Purcell is at the forefront of their mind because of a short but incredibly compelling body of work. Whilst we don’t know much about the man himself, the fact that he is so regarded and still influences so many artists confirms how much he achieved by composing beautiful pieces that listeners including the team at Southern Sinfonia still put on to relax and lift spirits. 

This lunchtime we will be putting on our final cafe concert of the autumn season. A continuation of the popular 'Secrets of the Orchestra' series, the concert will focus on the convivial yet complex brass section. 

If you would like to find out more about Southern Sinfonia, please click here for our website. You can also view images and find out the latest news by visiting our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. 

Mozart and Mr Jones – A weekend of Concerts in Contrasting Settings

Rehearsals for last week's concert 

 By Chris Billingham 

As many of you know a week ago today Southern Sinfonia performed with up and coming soprano Sarah-Jane Lewis and our Patron Sir Roger Norrington. The concert took place at St. Nicolas Church in Newbury and was without a doubt, a fantastic way to start the weekend. The orchestra played both Mozart and Beethoven beautifully and Sarah-Jane Lewis stunned the packed crowd with her fantastic voice. As stated in the Newbury Weekly News, “the applause was rapturous with many cheering and stamping”.

A weekend of live music continued with a trip to Birmingham on Saturday to see American rock band Counting Crows at the city’s 02 Academy. Whilst this evening juxtaposed Friday in a number of ways (a little louder perhaps!) it was an equally thrilling concert with every instrument complimenting each other and playing in a harmony that matches the musicianship needed in an orchestra. Whilst the genres were different, for me the performances sat together in terms of excitement and spectacle.

The one unavoidable contrast that was apparent however was the venues, one a parish church built in the 16th century and one a music venue built in the 1970’s and recently renovated to hold concerts and act as a nightclub. Arguably both of these buildings are perfect for the concerts they held but why is that? If it’s the performances that matter the most why is a concert venue so important?

American rock band Counting Crows

First and arguably foremost are logistical reasons; because of the way crowds commonly react to classical music (discussed in last weeks fantastic blog by Richard Brewer) they are less likely to disrupt a church building. At rock/pop concerts however a crowd is more likely to be on their feet and moving, actions that can be dangerous in historical buildings! 

Surroundings create a certain atmosphere and that atmosphere can often lend itself to the pieces being performed. An example of this could be seen on Friday night, the captivating images of both the crucifixion and miracles of Christ featured on the stained glass windows reflecting the dramatic themes of Beethoven’s Aria: Ah, Perfido! Whilst the themes in the piece (the despair of a woman abandoned by a Greek hero) aren’t necessarily religious, the intense images created by the music become amplified when surrounded by dramatic images. In the same vein the sing along chorus of Counting Crows hit Mr Jones matches the atmosphere created by an audience of silhouettes directed to spotlights on the stage singing lyrics such as “Smilin' in the bright lights, Comin' through in stereo, When everybody loves you, You can never be lonely”. 

This connection between music venues and their impact on the music being performed doesn’t mean that certain genres have to be tied to certain venues. It also doesn’t mean that venues can’t be both. Brixton 02 Academy and Oxford Town Hall are two locations used for rock/pop concerts that I would love to see classical music performed in. The interiors of both buildings are incredibly striking and would compliment the power of Mozart and Beethoven brilliantly. It’s fantastic to see that classical music is already being performed in a number of venues that wouldn’t be seen as traditional venues for the genre. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment have taken ‘The Night Shift’ to a number of contemporary locations including pubs such as The George Tavern and The Vauxhall Green.  The Multi-Story Orchestra have also been true to their name and performed in a number of car parks throughout the country! 

There is definitely a place for venues to both compliment the atmosphere of the pieces being performed and be unique and create a new and existing experience for concert attendees. The only think that should never happen is when a venue distracts from the music for negative reasons (whether its being trapped in the mud at Glastonbury or bad acoustics distorting certain movements!). Luckily for me, both of last weekend’s venues and performers were on amazing form, creating a fantastic few days that will be hard to beat tomorrow and Sunday! 

The interiors of Brixton 02 Academy (left) and Oxford Town Hall (right) 

Southern Sinfonia’s next event is our café concert ‘Brass Unwrapped’ on Friday November 21st. A continuation of the popular 'Secrets of the Orchestra' series, this concert focuses on the convivial yet complex brass section. To find out more including ticket details please click here. 

You can also find out more about Southern Sinfonia by visiting our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A summer afternoon with friends and supporters - in pictures

By Southern Sinfonia 

Continuing our summer theme, we wanted to share some pictures of a recent evening Southern Sinfonia spent entertaining supporters at Combe Manor...

Our Chairman John Horsey talks to guests

Managing Director Kay Lawrence entertaining guests

Close friends Mary and David Russell, who hosted the event 

James Sherlock and Benjamin Appl on stage about to perform

Hannah Medlam, Benjamin Appl and James Sherlock 

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