After a fallow period of events, the old favourites have returned from their summer break and are coming thick and fast. The latest reappearance is Kirklees Concert Season from Opera North, but more specifically, the Lunchtime Concerts at Dewsbury Town Hall. I discovered these earlier this year, just in time for the end of the last season, so only got to a couple. Not being quite so stupid as appear I have made sure of my season ticket from day one this time.
There are few more civilised way to spend the hours between noon and 2.00pm on one Wednesday per month, than with a bowl of home made soup, a sandwich, a cup of tea, a piece of cake and a superb concert from members of Opera North, although one or two packed lunches were in evidence – well we are in Yorkshire. This month we were treated to a diverse programme of music played on – you guessed it – flute and harp. I find that having a harp in close proximity is very reassuring as, in the case of disaster striking, it should give you a better chance of being admitted through the Pearly Gates rather than an eternity of exile in the other place, or Lancashire as it is sometimes called.
A hearty leek and potato soup and roll.
The musicians involved were Luke O”Toole, the principal flute of the Orchestra of Opera North, and Céline Saout, principal harpist of the Orchestra of Opera North and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. They are both very well traveled and have played in some of the world’s most prestigious venues whilst probably dreaming of one day appearing at Dewsbury Town Hall.
The programme of eight pieces was very well chosen and, although concentrating on the folk music of various countries, covered a variety of musical styles. The pair’s banter to introduce each of the works was both informative and amusing, especially the dry wit of Ms Saout.
There were compositions from both the famous, and not so famous, composers, well, not so famous to me at least. The first was from Mozart, who I think we all know and who, we were told, was the person accredited with writing the first music specifically for the combination of these two instruments. This example was Andante in C – K.315/285e. I’m just showing off here by telling you one of the few things I remember from my high school education, in that the K stands for Köchel, the name of the chap who catalogued all of Mozart’s works in chronological order, the number following K is the catalogue number. He obviously didn’t get out much.
Next up was Hungarian Pastoral Fantasy Op. 26 – I would guess that you know that Op stands for opus, so I won’t mention it. The composer was Doppler who Mr O’Toole told us was a left-handed flautist, not something which had ever occurred to me as being a problem.
One of my favourite pieces of music of all time followed this, especially this famous version for flute and harp by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Fantasia on Greensleeves (arr. David Sumbler and Eira Lynn Jones). Like all great pieces of music, you know what it is as soon as the first note is played. Ms Saout told us Vaughan Williams said that ‘music is an expression of the heart of a nation’ so the English cardiac health must be in fine fettle. Here is a version by Astralis Chamber Orchestra to prove my point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCJHttMaOzk
There then followed an interval. Nothing planned as the concert didn’t last long enough to warrant a break, but an enforced pause in proceedings as Céline Saout had left the sheet music for the next piece in the dressing room and had to go retrieve it. I couldn’t make my mind up as to whether to say owt about that or not. Saout/say owt, Geddit?
After the visits to Austria, Hungary and England our next port of call was Argentina and the music of Astor Piazzolla. His Histoire du Tango: Café 1930 and Border 1900 were played in reverse order – no idea – and showed the progression of the genre from the Argentinian houses of ill-repute to pre-war European Café Society. Not that big a leap I would have thought.
No time to hang about as we are off to the Netherlands next for Gluck’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits which is from a Dutch opera in which the hero tries to save his departed wife from entering the Underworld. Sound familiar?
Next was an opportunity to pick up a couple of fine cigars as we nip over to Cuba for Pièce en formé de Habanera by Ravel. As you would expect, the beat is the one used in the famous aria of the same name from Carmen by Bizet, so you feel as though you know it when, in fact, you possibly don’t.
Don’t delete the translator app just yet as we still need the Spanish part for our penultimate destination, Spain. Figures. I resisted the urge to take to my feet, raise my arms seductively above my head and stamp my heels to the flamenco beat of Entr’acte by Ibert, besides I hadn’t finished my sandwich being busy taking notes, so didn’t want to be ejected from the premises just yet.
Finally, a melody with which everyone will be familiar. I don’t care where you are from, what language you speak and that you might not recognise the composer, Monti, who is Hungarian, or the title, Czardas, but if you have ever seen a cartoon film or a black and white flick from the Laurel and Hardy era you will forever associate the slow part of the tune, at the three-minute mark of the video link, as being the one played when someone suffers a concussion by being hit over the head, falling off a cliff or running head first into a fake door drawn on a wall and stars orbiting the unfortunate’s head. Go on, give it a listen and tell me you didn’t smile. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuD-PtyEnqc
So, there you have it. A brilliant start to the Dewsbury Town Hall Lunchtime Concert Season from Opera North. Now, where’s the rest of that sandwich?
For events at Dewsbury Town Hall see https://www.ents24.com/dewsbury-events/dewsbury-town-hall
For a brochure of all events in the Kirklees Concert Season please go to https://d2c6kjafra7luc.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Kirklees-Concert-Season-2023-Brochure-2.pdf
For Opera North productions https://www.operanorth.co.uk/
Photographs by Stan Graham
Tyke It To The Limit 