Not that Camilla and the Vauxhall Band have anything to do with each other, but I wanted to remind you about Camilla’s harp recital on March 7th – and to tell you about the delightful Vauxhall Band concert that I went to last night.
So Camilla first:
Tuesday March 7th
6.30pm for a glass of wine – then, at 7pm, Camilla (along with Bach, Debussy, Fauré, Paizzolla, Gliere, Rota, Tournier – and the Godfather!) – followed by one of my best buffet suppers!
All details on the booking site here –
£28 to include wine and supper.
The Vauxhall Band
The Vauxhall Band is a collective of musicians who perform original and unique 18th and 19th century music on period instruments – recreating the music that was played at the pleasure gardens at Vauxhall, Ranelagh and Marylebone. And they were joined last night by early dance experts Mary Collins and Steven Player, here (I think…) dancing a jig.
This joyous event took place in St Mary-at-Hill in Lovat Lane (the next door lane in the City of London to Pudding Lane where the great fire of London started in 1666).
The band played us Niccolo Jommelli’s ‘Periodical Overture’ after which they accompanied Joel Raymond (who not only researches and plays, but designs and makes 18th century oboes) in Johann Christian Fischer’s Oboe concerto No 1. in C.
They were then joined by Mary and Steven to play and dance Ignatius Sanchos’ Minuet No. 1 – ‘Mr Isaac’s Minuet’. (Sanchos was an escaped slave who was adopted by the 2nd Duke of Montague who taught him to read and play music. In due course Sanchos left service, opened his own tea and tobacco shop, acted with the theatre impresario David Garrick and was the first person of African descent to vote in a British general election. He was also a regular visitor to Vauxhall Gardens.)
The programme included a wealth of other pieces by Thomas Arne, Handel, Samuel Arnold, William Boyce, Jean Baptiste Lully and more – accompanied by a number of ever ‘naughtier’ dances culminating in Harlequin and Columbine arguing – and dancing – their way around the floor.
But they were not finished with us…. The concert officially ended, the audience were all given the words of a roundelay which under Harlequin’s baton we rendered lustily – before he and Columbine led us in an 18th century conga all around the nave of the church. What a great way to end a Vauxhall Gardens concert.
And it certainly gave me ideas….. How about combining the Vauxhall Band and the dancers with an 18th century meal – and really re-creating the fun of Vauxhall Gardens?….. Watch this space!
Meanwhile, to learn more about the band, check in to their website where you can also hear a short clip of them performing at the Teahouse Theatre on the site of the original Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.
Meanwhile, I apologise for the less than perfect images above, and that I did not get even a snatch of a video, but my seriously geriatric phone struggles in low light conditions. Note to self – time for an upgrade.
Upcoming concerts
2nd April – Jazz in Highgate
The next Highgate Society lunchtime concert – featuring more Guildhall School of Music and Drama graduate students – the Jonah Phillips Trio. Jonah on drums, Jude Lane on piano and Edouard Le Feuvre on bass. Listen out for strains of Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson and Bud Powell.
Starts at midday – £15 to include bottomless jugs of Bucks Fizz – You can book here.
Sunday 7th May – evening – The Hanover Square Quartet
Music by Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn and Emilie Mayer.
More details very soon.
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