Sunday 5th June 2016
A Garland for Nepal - Norfolk Composers Group Concert
Cromer Music Evenings welcomes members of the Norfolk Composers Group to bring a mixture of original and familiar music to our regular audience. From a wide variety of styles and concepts, they will be choosing a selection of recent compositions loosely themed around folk and fun, and to include each composer’s arrangement of the Nepalese National Anthem. Members of the group include Geoff Cummings-Knight, Andrew Lowe Watson, David Morgan, Pat Hanchett and Michael Finnissy.
Review by Terry Keeler
5 June 2016
A Garland for Nepal - Norfolk Composers Group Concert
The concert being an innovative addition to the usual format of the Cromer Music Evenings concert series giving Norfolk composers an opportunity for their writings to be heard and intending the proceeds going to World Vision's Nepal Earthquake Appeal for the rebuilding programme.
The event attracted seven composers whose compositions, mostly based on the Nepalese Anthem, in which the melodic line was disguised by the composers improvisatory writings.
Tristan Butler – being the first item on the programme – playing the marimba – performed the original version of the Nepalese Anthem – his interpretation, coupled with the sounds of the instrument was very apt for the occasion.
Composer Geoff Cummings-Knight performed his own composition entitled The First Nepalese Prelude depicting an earthquake and the turbulence of the ground, rather than the people's woe.
This event progressed with compositions involving performances of their own works, sometimes accompanied by the composers, or by members of the Norfolk Composers Group.
Petite Simphonie Extraordinaire by Cummings-Knight was certainly extraordinary! With himself playing piano and Tristan Butler marimba – proved to be the highlight – in five sections – 1 Phantom Foxtrot, 2 Navy Blue Ghosts, 3 The Allegro Negro Cocktail Shaker, 4 Haunted Whirligig and 5 Aubade: Walking Fido – Fido being a dog! A most enjoyable impressionistic work, certainly captivating the most discerning audience present.
Pianist, Chris Green-Armytage brought the concert to an end by masterful performances of The Ballade in F major and Scherzo in B flat minor by Frederic Chopin – two wonderful works – I'm sure today's performances would have pleased the great man.
Terry Keeler
Tel 01263 513273