Tag: Wigmore Hall

Wigmore Hall Concert With Sonnerie, 23 September 1999

Excellent concert, this. Sonnerie was a superb but fluid ensemble, led by the indomitable Monica Huggett.

On this occasion they comprised Monica Huggett, Gary Cooper, Wilbert Hazelzet, Pamela Thorby, Catherine Latham, Katherine McGillivray, Catherine Martin, Emilia Benjamin, Alison McGillivray and Sarah Groser.

Here is the playlist from the gig:

  • Jean-Philippe Rameau – Pieces de clavecin en concerts No 3 in A major
  • Georg Philipp Telemann – Concerto for Flute, Oboe d’amore, Viola d’amore, Strings and Continuo in E major
  • Antonio Lucio Vivaldi – Concerto for Violin, Strings and Continuo in D major (“Il Grosso Mogul”) RV208
  • Georg Philipp Telemann – Concerto for Flute, recorder, Strings and Continuo in E minor
  • Johann Sebastian Bach – Sonata No 1 for Violin and Harpsicord in B minor BWV 1014
  • Johann Sebastian Bach – Concerto for Harpsicord, 2 Recorders, Strings and Continuo in F major BWV 1057

Here is a clip from an earlier but lovely recording of the E major Telemann piece, which includes Monica Huggett with the Academy of Ancient Music

While here is a lovely video of Ensemble Odyssee playing the Bach concerto we heard that evening:

We both went straight from work and both had early starts the next morning, so I guess we supped light at Sandall Close after the gig.

Angela Brownridge Plays Liszt, Wigmore Hall, 16 July 1999

To The Wigmore Hall again on a Friday evening to catch an Angela Brownridge recital of Liszt piano pieces.

We heard:

  • Les Jeux d’eau a la Ville d’Este
  • Hungarian Rhapsody No 13
  • From Annes de Pelerinage Book 2 “Italy”
  • Paganini Caprice No 6 “La Campanella”
  • 3 Liebestraume in A Flat, E and A Flat
  • 3 Concert Studies: Il Lamento, La Leggierezza, Un Sospiro
  • Hungarian Rhapsody No 2

Yes, that’s right…there’s a Liszt of the pieces we heard.

Here is a lengthy documentary about and by Angela Brownridge:

You can hear the Liebstraume she played in the 1999 concert at 1:10:55 on the video.

Fabio Zanon At The Wigmore Hall, 18 June 1999

A lovely concert at “The Wig”.

Here’s the “playlist”:

  • El Decameron Negro by Leo Brouwer
  • Tarrantos by Leo Brouwer
  • Elogio de la Danza by Leo Brouwer
  • Fuga no 1 by Leo Brouwer
  • Pieza sin Titulo no3 by Leo Brouwer
  • Pieza sin Titulo no1 by Leo Brouwer
  • Encantamientos by Robert Keeley
  • Grand Sonata in A Major MS.3  by Niccolo Paganini
  • Six Sonatas, K404, K474, K60, K462, K394, K477 by Domenico Scarlatti
  • Aria con Variazioni “Le Frescobalda” by Girolamo Frescobaldi

In truth I was not familiar with the work of Leo Brouwer. Fabio Zanon is clearly a fan and has (far more recently) produced a helpful explainer video about the composer:

We were really taken with the young guitarist’s playing of Scarlatti sonatas transposed for guitar. Here is a video that shows him in the late 1990s playing three such pieces:

We were very taken with Friday evenings at The Wig in those days – it seemed a very relaxing way to round off a hard week. Writing 25 years later…still does.

Les Cris De Paris, Ensemble Clément Janequin, Wigmore Hall, 20 May 1999

Janie and I both loved this concert. We weren’t previously familiar with the works of this Renaissance composer, Clément Janequin, nor this eponymous Ensemble.

But by the end of the concert we were familiar with both and had thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. All that despite it being a Thursday evening at the end of long working days for both of us and ahead of long working days to boot.

This was the Ensemble’s 20th anniversary programme:

  • Nous Sommes de l’Ordre de Saint Babouyn by Loyset Compere
  • Tant que Vivray / Au Joly Boys / Je ne Menge Point de Porc / Vien Tost by Claudin de Sermisy
  • N’As tu Poinct Mis ton Hault Bonnet / Mon Amy M’Avoit Promis by Ninot le Petit
  • Bransles d’Ecosse / La Romaine by Guillaume Morlaye
  • Mille Regretz / Faulte d’Argent / Douleur Me Bat / El Grillo / Nymphes des Boys / Scaramella by Josquin Desprez
  • Les Cris de Paris / Qu’est-ce d’Amour? / Il Estoit une Fillette / Au Verd Boys/Le Chant des Oyseaulx by Clement Janequin
  • Fantaisie by Albert de Rippe
  • Or Vien Ca / O Mal d’Aymer / Ung Jour Robin / L’Amour, la Mort et la Vie / My Levay Par Ung Matin / La Guerre by Clement Janequin

Twenty years after that, they looked and sounded a bit like this:

The above piece formed part of the concert we heard. The following one did not, but is lovely.

Here follows a video of a whole gig post 2020, which includes several of the works we heard in 1999. Renaissance music never goes out of fashion:

Steuerman Does Goldberg At The Wigmore Hall, 11 February 1999

Unusual for us to go to a concert on a Thursday evening in those days. I don’t think I’d yet heard The Goldberg Variations live and was keen to do so.

Jean-Louis Steuerman, that boy can sure tinkle the ivories.

Take my word for it.

Actually, no need for you to take my word for it – here’s that very chap playing that very aria:

I told you he can play.

Kontrabande At The Wigmore Hall, 6 January 1999

25 years ago, Janie and I decided to party like it’s 1999 at the start of 1999. What better to do that than a concert of baroque music at The Wigmore Hall.

These are the pieces we heard/saw:

  • Cantata “Cessate Omai Cessate”, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi
  • Sinfonia to Cantata BWV 49, Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Concerto for Oboe d’Amore BWV 1055 (also transcribed Harpsicord), Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Cantata BWV 82 “Ich Habe Genug”, Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Concerto for Viola da Gamba and Recorder in A Minor, Georg Philipp Telemann
  • Cantata BWV 170 “Vergnugte Ruh”, Johann Sebastian Bach.

The Standard previewed the concert thusly:

Standard Kontrabande 6 Jan 1999Standard Kontrabande 6 Jan 1999 06 Jan 1999, Wed Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Perhaps there was a change of programme or perhaps my notes missed out the Handel by mistake. I’ll check back to the programme when next I can face the thought of an archaeological dig into my programme collection.

For sure we saw the small chamber ensemble, Kontrabande, with Charles Humphries doing the counter-tenor bit and Clare Salaman on the baroque violin. Sadly, I learn that Clare, who was an expert on strange and ancient instruments, didn’t make it to the 25th anniversary of this Kontrabande concert.

Here’s a video of Clare playing a strange and ancient instrument – the nyckelharpa – I don’t believe I have ever seen this instrument played live:

Here is an audio YouTube of Charles Humphries singing one of the Bach arias we heard, vergnugte Ruh, accompanied by Kontrabande:

While here is the Bremer Baroque Orchestra (similar scale to Kontrabande if I remember correctly) playing the very Telemann concerto we heard back then: