A wonderful evening was had by all last Friday when Madeleine, Gordon, Bridget and Joseph peformed not only Debussy’s magical string quartet, but Charles Wood’s Quartet no.6 in D.
Wood, who came from Armagh in Northern Ireland and died in 1926, was known primarily as a teacher (he was Professor of Music at Cambridge) and a composer of Anglican church music. He did, however, compose a number of songs and eight string quartets most of which, as Madeleine is explaining here, have never been played since his death. (For more on Charles Wood see this post from Seamus Dubhghaill.)
While looking forward to the Debussy (which fully lived up to expectations) I must admit that I did slightly wonder what the Wood quartet would be like – but with no reason. The Irish folk melodies and dance tunes of his native Armagh were very much to the fore in this really delightful piece – snatches of which I caught for you. And apologies both for my knee, which kept creeping in at the bottom of the shot, and to Gordon who, from my vantage point, was hidden by Madeleine’s music for almost all of the concert.
The Ensemble will be recording the Wood quartets later in the year to accompany works by his pupil, Herbert Howells, already recorded last year. More details to follow when we know them.
Meanwhile – upcoming….
Sunday March 17th – Highgate Society lunchtime concert.
Book here for Declan and Sophia – guitar and saxophone – jazz numbers by the likes of Pat Metheny sit alongside the tangos of Piazzolla and the folk-inspired music of Ciarán Farrell.
Monday April 8th
Book here for the Bassett Horn Ladies of the Vauxhall Band For more on this concert see this post about the basset horns, and this post about Vauxhall Pleasure gardens.
And do not delay – at last reckoning there were only were only six tickets left.
Thursday 16th May
Declan Hickey will be back with us at Hampstead Lane for a solo guitar recital. For more details and to book, go here.
Sunday 26th May – Highgate Society lunchtime concert
Anna Scott sings and plays Americana classics. For more details and to book go here.
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