CD review: Francesca Massey – Bravura!
A guest review by Julian Wright of Francesca Massey’s new CD Bravura!, a recital of 20th century European organ music, recorded at Durham Cathedral, where she is sub-organist.
12 Aug 2015
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A guest review by Julian Wright of Francesca Massey’s new CD Bravura!, a recital of 20th century European organ music, recorded at Durham Cathedral, where she is sub-organist.
An impressive and entertaining evening of jazz classics and new music from the combined talents of Durham County Youth Big Band, Durham County Youth Choir and Darlington Youth Choir, and their guests from the National Youth Chamber Choir as part of the BRASS2015 festival.
There are always lots of student concerts on at this time of year, after exams are done, and this year they have come together to create the first Durham Festival of Arts. There’s lots going on, and the major music events are previewed here.
If you didn’t manage to get tickets for English Touring Opera’s La Bohème, or if you’re being good and going to choir practice instead, you could give their other Durham production a go – I previewed Donizetti’s The Siege of Calais for NEMM Blog.
The young vocal ensemble Renaissance, directed by Ben Rowarth, captivated the audience in St Cuthbert’s chapel at Ushaw College with a programme built around John Sheppard’s stunning motet “Media Vita”.
A stunningly beautiful performance in the atmospheric setting of Ushaw Chapel of Couperin’s “Trois Leçons de ténèbres” sung Emily Owen and Charlotte La Thrope, with Sam Stadlen (viola da gamba) and John Green (organ). I had goose-bumps from the very first notes.
Highly accomplished solo and ensemble singing from Durham University Chamber Choir in one of the greatest pieces of choral music ever written.
Fantastic dreams, restless dances, storms and disturbed sleep swirled together in Durham University Orchestral Society’s Epiphany term concert in a programme of vividly evocative music that used the entire rich palette available to the orchestral composer – plus a few extras.
Durham University’s musical groups are gearing up for their end of term concerts, and as usual we’re spoilt for choice, with music ranging from much loved baroque masterpieces to the excitement of brand new works.