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Tony Carter [NEEMF representative] participated in NWEMF's 21st Birthday Celebrations at Tabley House. Q. "What advice would one give to a budding young musician?" A. "Never play a concert in a church or a stately home between September and May." However, hope springs eternal in the human heart and music, like divorce, is all about the triumph of hope over experience, so Saturday 21st of November found me up at 6.30 am and heading for Knutsford. The birthday celebrations took the form of a day's playing culminating in an evening concert. Quite a lavish standard of catering was provided and there was the usual speech-making that one expects on these occasions. The music was by Henry Purcell. There were songs, duets and violin pieces, but the thing that drew me to the other side of the Pennines was the chance to perform "Dido and Aeneas". The event was well organised and Roger Wilkes did his best to make sure that things happened on the day as they had been planned. The choir knew the piece and the soloists had made a lot of effort to learn their parts. What I felt was most encouraging about the performance was the number of young people involved. Two young girls were the best cackling witches I have ever heard, and a 12-year-old was a most impressive spirit. These girls had put in a lot of work before the day and their contribution ought not to go unappreciated. It is also refreshing to see young faces at musical events. Believe me, I know what I am talking about; I play Gilbert and Sullivan. "Dido and Aeneas" is an interesting piece and contains some of the most mindnumbing doggerel ever committed to paper. Purcell, however, manages to weave his magic with this most unpromising weft. Such is Purcell's talent that we know something important is due to happen as Dido's lament approaches. When Dido starts to sing there is no doubt that we are experiencing one of music's greatest moments. We were not disappointed at Tabley House. Deborah Catterall gave a most moving performance of the lament and I went away well satisfied and feeling that all the effort had been worthwhile. There was a good turnout for the event, but I was a little surprised by the number of outsiders involved. This, of course, is not a state of affairs confined to NWEMF. The NEEMF residential weekend when Monteverdi's Vespers were performed could not have actually taken place without an influx of visitors. I am not sure whether this situation actually represents a problem. By the way, the rehearsal room was freezing! |