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I feel that I, at least, ought to record something of how the excellence of the evening (Brenda Ffolds at Tabley, sitting or walking around outside the Long Gallery, thought she was listening to a professional recording!) was a natural culmination of the endeavours of so many people during the day - everyone, of course, who was involved, in whatever capacity, and I speak indirectly therefore of those, such as Andrew Mayes, who assisted so valuably in important, if rarely visible (let alone audible) ways to ensure that things ran smoothly, as well as those taking part in the actual performances. Though some of us, obviously, were involved in the whole proceedings rather more than others, the good musical and rehearsal discipline, proficiency and dedication, the atmosphere of friendship, dedication and mutual encouragement and exhortation which was apparent throughout the whole long day, is in my view what an organisation like NWEMF should stand for, and should carry over into all areas of its future work. I hope that this very proper celebration will give NWEMF members a renewed sense of purpose and will encourage a similarly positive and determined attitude as we plan our future direction. The interpolated dances for violin and guitar were one element in the music which was unique to our performance of Dido. [For the record, the Act 1 Chaconne was based on one by Merula, the Folia was a selection of divisions from Faronell's Ground (Playford's Division Violin) superimposed on an original Alfabeto (guitar tablature) Folia of Carbonchi 1646, and the Sarabande at the end of Act 2 was an arrangement of one by Marin Marais, originally in G minor for gamba and harpsichord. - S.H.] Incidentally, how appropriate it was that so many young girls were involved in performing a work which, as you know, had early associations with Josiah Priest's school for girls in Chelsea, even if that was not (as we now believe) the first performance. Another feather in NWEMF's cap. Roger |