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. 

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.

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.

Clap, Rustle, Cough, Sneeze....and repeat?

By Richard Brewer

Last week, conductor Marin Alsop was on Desert Island Discs on Radio 4. She was fascinating to listen to, and had some really interesting choices of music – not just classical! I urge you to listen to it online if you haven't already.

One point she made really stuck out to me, about the etiquette of audiences at classical concerts. It's a heavily discussed topic, sometimes discussed in the form of a 'tut' and a disapproving look from an audience member, or  discussed in long newspaper articles online. Where the belief that we must sit up straight, arms folded, in complete silence and not make any sort of noise at all during a concert began, I do not know. What is interesting, however, is the difference in audience etiquette between different concerts; it is extremely dependant on many aspects of a concert, for example the venue, the repertoire and also the age of audience members.

I still vividly remember my first ever live classical concert. I was 16, and it was in Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, which really is a lovely venue. The Hallé orchestra were playing, with Sir Mark Elder conducting Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no. 2 and Rachmaninov Symphony no. 2 (what a start to my classical concert career, by the way!). I went with my best friend and his dad, and came away following one of the best concerts of my life with a list of 5 unwritten rules for attending a concert...

1. Do not cough, or sneeze, or blow your nose during the performance
2. Do not whisper to anyone around you
3. Do not hum the tune, however recognisable or lovely it is
4. Sit still at all times
5. Finally, and most importantly, do NOT under ANY circumstances clap between movements

I learnt the hard way, by doing just about all of these 5 things and getting more than 5 surly looks, quiet 'tuts' and a lot of head turns during the concert. As a first timer, it was a very odd experience. To think that I had to literally sit there silent and motionless for nearly two hours was a daunting task, but I went with it and have done ever since – all because of the unwritten rules. This is the case for pretty much all classical music concerts I have been to in the past 5 or 6 years since then, except for a few very special ones...

The BBC proms. Without doubt, in my mind, one of the most special music festivals worldwide. What an amazing 2 months it is; everyone coming together to watch some of the world's best orchestras blow us away with brilliant performances of the best-loved classics, along with some genre-setting world premieres. The audience at the proms are a special breed. Some sit there asleep, some read, some lie down, some cough, some sneeze, they do it all. The most noteworthy thing they all do (and I'm being extremely general here) is clap between movements. If they hear a rousing, loud movement of a symphony, they respond in the way they see fit – they clap. And why shouldn't they?! 

The other day I was chatting to our patron, Sir Roger Norrington (who conducts an evening of Mozart and Beethoven with Southern Sinfonia next Friday) who noted that he absolutely loves the audience to respond in the way they want to after hearing a wonderful movement. It almost feels unnatural to sit there silently after hearing something as rousing as the final moments of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's fourth symphony. Marin Alsop was also a firm believer in clapping after a movement if the situation merits it, stating that in Beethoven's time they would even clap mid-movement if a phrase was good! 

I'm not in anyway suggesting we should begin to clap in the middle of a movement if there is a really special moment (so please don't do that when you come to our concert next week)! I am also not meriting an outbreak of applause at the end of the slow movement of Mahler's fifth symphony, either, because that would just be awful. I also do know how annoying it can be when people make lots of noise, and I'm not suggesting we all hum along to every tune in the piece. What I do think, though, is that we should feel more relaxed during concerts; we are there for pleasure, after all. 

So, next Friday, when you are sat there in the second half listening to the mighty Beethoven's Eighth Symphony, remember this blog. Remember that if you feel like clapping at the end of a rousing movement, by all means, go for it. On the other hand, of course, if you want to stay silent, do it!

There shouldn't be such a set of unwritten rules for behaviour at a classical concert. Live classical music should be what you make of it. You can react in the way you want to, it affects people in numerous different ways, and that is a hugely powerful asset. Let's not go too mad, though; we don't want to see our beloved performers walk off stage like Michael McIntyre did in a recent gig, after a lady consistently talked and made loud noises all the way through - I'm not sure Sir Roger would approve of that! 

Click here to find out more about next Friday's concert in St. Nicolas, Newbury. There are still tickets available and it really is an evening not to be missed! 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!