Friday 7th February 2020 Truro Catholic Church
Cello Voices.
Liz Brazier - widely regarded as the mother of cellists in Cornwall as Barbara Degener, the ensemble leader , called her at the close of this concert, has for some years run a cello weekend in the new year where cellists of all ages and abilities meet to work and play together. (she is actually the mother of Ben Hoagley one of the other performers - and celebrated a significant birthday today)
Cornwall Cello Voices is a group of eight of the rather more accomplished performers who have given concerts at the end of the weekend. The sound of 8 cellos playing together in harmony is thrilling as recordings by the cellist of the Berlin Philharmonic in the 90s attest. And this concert was certainly extremely well delivered with ensemble and balance between a frequent myriad of parts well judged.
The cello's sonorous register makes it a favourite with many but the comparative lower register of the parts and the heady mix of sound delivers this oloroso glorious ruby glow to the music. The modern church has a somewhat brutalist concrete outward face and did not help enormously to raise one spirits in the concert - reminds me a bit of the Haywards Gallery on London's South bank with slightly darkened lighting and a pitched roof running west east to the altar which feels a little inhibiting to the audience member - something Valhalla like about the feel of the space...it is certainly dramatic with muted colours of monotone drapes.
The programme was largely light music with a mix of 8 part and 4 part arrangements of well known works. There were some dexterous and accomplished individual solo spots and prominence was shared around the group who included a wide range of ages
An arrangement of Respighi's Cello Concerto, a piece which was composed but never orchestrated or performed as such was the most intriguing and challenging with Tim Pratt taking the lead solo cello line which was sometimes a little restrained though accurate in the higher virtuosic register. Respighi is capable of bringing real colour and a shimmering sophistication to the mix - his orchestral masterpieces which are well known (Pines of Rome) remind us of a side of Italian Risorgimento that is largely overlooked. This piece and its arrangement (unacknowledged in teh programme) certainly maintained his reputation
Performers were Liz Brazier, Susanna Campbell, Barbara Degener (leader), Danielle Jones, Olivia Lowendahl, Becky McGlade and Tim Pratt
Cello Voices.
Liz Brazier - widely regarded as the mother of cellists in Cornwall as Barbara Degener, the ensemble leader , called her at the close of this concert, has for some years run a cello weekend in the new year where cellists of all ages and abilities meet to work and play together. (she is actually the mother of Ben Hoagley one of the other performers - and celebrated a significant birthday today)
Cornwall Cello Voices is a group of eight of the rather more accomplished performers who have given concerts at the end of the weekend. The sound of 8 cellos playing together in harmony is thrilling as recordings by the cellist of the Berlin Philharmonic in the 90s attest. And this concert was certainly extremely well delivered with ensemble and balance between a frequent myriad of parts well judged.
The cello's sonorous register makes it a favourite with many but the comparative lower register of the parts and the heady mix of sound delivers this oloroso glorious ruby glow to the music. The modern church has a somewhat brutalist concrete outward face and did not help enormously to raise one spirits in the concert - reminds me a bit of the Haywards Gallery on London's South bank with slightly darkened lighting and a pitched roof running west east to the altar which feels a little inhibiting to the audience member - something Valhalla like about the feel of the space...it is certainly dramatic with muted colours of monotone drapes.
The programme was largely light music with a mix of 8 part and 4 part arrangements of well known works. There were some dexterous and accomplished individual solo spots and prominence was shared around the group who included a wide range of ages
An arrangement of Respighi's Cello Concerto, a piece which was composed but never orchestrated or performed as such was the most intriguing and challenging with Tim Pratt taking the lead solo cello line which was sometimes a little restrained though accurate in the higher virtuosic register. Respighi is capable of bringing real colour and a shimmering sophistication to the mix - his orchestral masterpieces which are well known (Pines of Rome) remind us of a side of Italian Risorgimento that is largely overlooked. This piece and its arrangement (unacknowledged in teh programme) certainly maintained his reputation
Performers were Liz Brazier, Susanna Campbell, Barbara Degener (leader), Danielle Jones, Olivia Lowendahl, Becky McGlade and Tim Pratt
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