Waldegraveensemble

Waldegraveensemble

Waldegraveensemble

Five Live Brass

Recital Programme

After debuting in 2009, the Waldegrave Ensemble has continued to give recitals in and around London, playing works from Baroque and Classical through to 21st Century and Jazz.

The ensemble features woodwind, brass, strings, piano, harp and percussion, which allows them to perform a wide variety of works for different instrumental combinations.

Aside from performing, the players are passionate about outreach work and promote musical development within schools, through workshops and educational recitals.

The Waldegrave Ensemble are also enthusiastic about exploring new works and welcome interest from composers wishing to write for any combination of instruments.

the Waldegrave ensemble

2012 recital series

22nd april, st. andrew’s, surbiton - Five Live Brass Quintet Recital

12th may, bourne hall, ewell - Flute, Clarinet, Strings and Harp Recital

Ravel Introduction et Allegro

19th may, st. mary’s, stoke d’abernon - Five Live Brass Quintet Recital

27th may, st. andrew’s, surbiton - Flute, Clarinet, Strings and Harp Recital

Ravel Introduction et Allegro

11th June, st Peter’s, notting hill - Piano & Winds Lunchtime Recital

Poulenc, Piano Sextet

24th June, st. andrew’s, surbiton - Piano & Winds Recital

Poulenc, Piano Sextet

tbc June, sutton grammar school - Children’s Orchestral Concert

Prokofiev, Peter and the wolf Saint-Saens, Carnival of the animals

21st July, bourne hall, ewell - Wind Dectet Recital

Françaix, Neuf Pièces Charactéristiques

22nd July, st. andrew’s, surbiton - String Sextet Recital

Tchaikovsky, Souvenir de Florence

22nd september, bourne hall, ewell - Winds & Strings Recital

Beethoven Septet

30th september, st. andrew’s, surbiton - Winds & Strings Recital

Beethoven Septet

tbc, september, london - Summer Orchestral Concert

Weber Bassoon Concerto

8th October, st. Peter’s, notting hill - Winds & Strings Lunchtime Recital

Beethoven Septet

28th October, st. andrew’s, surbiton - An Afternoon at the Opera

A selection of great operatic solos

25th november, st. andrew’s, surbiton - Winds, Brass and Strings

Martinů, Revue de Cuisine

10th december, st. Peter’s, notting hill - Winds, Brass and Strings Lunchtime Recital

Martinů, Revue de Cuisine

Live Brass are a dynamic brass quintet made up of some of the countries finest brass players. The

trumpet players are Kate Moore, principal trumpet of the BBC Concert Orchestra and Simon Sturgeon-

Clegg, a busy free-lance musician who has worked with many London orchestras including, the London

Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and BBC Concert Orchestras. Stephen Nicholls,the horn player, is 2nd

horn in the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Steve Turton ,the trombonist, is a busy musician on the

London musical scene and works regularly with many of the country’s finest orchestras, including the

Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestras. Daniel Trodden,

the Tuba player has recently been appointed as the principal tuba with the BBC National Orchestra

of Wales.

The quintet was formed in 2005 as part of the Connecting Arts Ensemble organisation,where it was

awarded the highly prestigious Pyramid Award from Deutsche Bank. The group is in demand for

recitals, corporate functions and education projects and has played at many high profile occasions

including a concert in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen to celebrate her 80th Birthday, and

for a concert in aid of the Combat Stress charity held at St John’s Smith Square. The Ensemble have

performed in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, and has associations with several Livery Companies

in the City of London. The ensemble also has a residency in Leatherhead, Surrey, where a regular

quintet concert series is held.

At the moment the group are working on a large scale concert in aid of the Shooting Stars Children’s

Hospice, Guildford, with whom the group have developed an association. They have recently returned

from a hugely successful tour of Devon and Cornwall, working with the Cornish Youth Orchestra and

various schools alongside a busy concert schedule.

five live brass

recital PrOgramme

rose without a thornHenry VIII 1491-1547

1 it is to me a right great joy2 pastime with good company3 adieu! Madame et ma mistresse4 taunder naken5 departure is my chief pain6 en vrai amour - pastime with good company

Although the legend that he wrote the song Greensleeves is false, Henry VIII did compose music and play the harpsichord and lute and also wrote poetry. The title of this suite comes from an inscription on a double rose coin of Henry VIII - it shows the crowned initials H & K for Henry and Katherine on each side of the Tudor rose. The legend reads Rosa sine spina (a rose without a thorn,) but the marriage eventually created some very thorny problems!

the little White donkeyJacques Ibert 1890 - 1962Ibert was a French composer and enjoyed a successful composing career. He chose not to attach himself to any of the prevalent genres of music of his time and has often been described as eclectic.

In its original version, The Little White Donkey is from a collection of light character pieces for solo piano. Though not technically difficult, (for the piano at least!) the challenge is to make each movement come to life in the style or story of the title.

the elephant from carnival of the animalsCamille Saint-Saens 1835 - 1921Camille Saint-Saëns wrote Carnival of the Animals while on vacation in 1886; it was intended for private performance by a chamber ensemble (2 pianos and 11 other instruments), and was played only once for his friends.

At the time he wrote it Saint-Saëns was a well-established composer well known throughout his native France and Europe. He had written symphonies, concertos, operas, songs, chamber works, solo pieces and sacred music. So naturally he considered the piece too frivolous for publication - what would people say when they discovered that the great composer had written a silly little ditty?

aragonaise from carmenGeorges Bizet 1838 - 1875The opera Carmen was based on a novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. Bizet began work on it in 1873, and finally finished it late in 1874. It was a time of great emotional strain for him. His marriage was beginning to break up and during the composition he was separated from his wife for two months. It was not initially well-received by the critics. The subject matter was considered

improper, particularly the idea of a soldier deserting the army to join a criminal band of smugglers. Carmen has since become one of the most popular works in the entire operatic repertoire, and undoubtedly the most famous operatic portrayal of the “femme fatale”.The Aragonaise describes the lively street scenes in Seville before the start of the bull fight.

horn feature: nocturne & PrestoFelix Mendelssohn 1809 -1847Although composed only four years before Mendelssohn’s death, these numbers emanate a truly youthful energy. He led something of a charmed and privileged life, and as a result he had the integrity and confidence in his own work that made him dare to be original. His music, for the most part, reflects his own cheerful, successful, contented existence. His joy in all that was refined, aristocratic, and sophisticated is clearly reflected in his works.

a nightingale sang in berkeley squareManning Sherwin 1902 - 1974The song was written in the then small French fishing village of Le Lavandou shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. According to Maschwitz, the title was “stolen” from a story by Michael Arlen. The song had its first performance in the summer of 1939 in a local bar, where the melody was played on piano by Manning Sherwin with the help of the resident saxophonist. Maschwitz sang the words while holding a glass of wine, but nobody seemed impressed. In the spring of 2002, an attempt was made to find the bar where this song, which would later become a standard, was first performed with the view to having a blue plaque set up. With the help of the local tourist office, elderly residents were questioned, but it proved impossible to establish the venue. It was published in 1940, early in World War II, when it was first performed in the London review New Faces by Judy Campbell.

salon de mexicoEnrico Crespo 1941- presentEnrique Crespo is a trombonist, he dedicated himself to jazz and folklore with the same passion and enthusiasm as to so-called serious music. Enrique Crespo’s compositions are marked by this mixture of such diverse styles, and with his extensive knowledge of instruments he offers the brass players completely new scope.

i wish you loveLeo Chauliac & Charles Trenet 1913 - 2001Charles Trenet wrote the original French lyrics of this song which wistfully evokes memories of happier youthful days. It was first recorded by Keely Smith in 1957. It has since become a standard, with many other recordings. Trenet also wrote the original lyrics for the song, “La Mer” which became “Beyond the Sea.”

fascinatin’ rhythmGeorge Gershwin (1898 - 1937)Written by George Gershwin in 1924 with lyrics by Ira Gershwin it was first introduced by Cliff Edwards, Fred Astaire and Adele Astaire in the Broadway musical, Let there be Love. The Astaires also recorded the song on April 19, 1926 in London with George Gershwin on the piano.

summertimeGeorge Gershwin (1898 - 1937)In 1926 George Gershwin read Porgy by DuBose Heyward, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, and immediately wrote to the author suggesting that they collaborate on a folk opera based on the novel. Heyward was enthusiastic, but it was 1934 before Gershwin’s composing and performing schedules permitted him to begin actual work on the project. The opera opens with a brief overture, then a piano is heard playing Jasbo Brown Blues. It is night and Clara sings a lullaby, Summertime, to her baby as a game of crap takes place in the background. The atmosphere of summertime is conjured up right away by its introduction. Surprisingly the song consists of only six notes so it’s an incredibly simple melody.

nice work if you can get itGeorge Gershwin (1898 - 1937)One of nine songs George Gershwin wrote for the movie A Damsel in Distress, in which it was performed by Fred Astaire with backing vocals provided by The Stafford Sisters. The song was published in 1937.

O lawd i’m on my wayGeorge Gershwin (1898 - 1937)Another song from Porgy and Bess it is the last one in the opera. On a beautiful morning, Porgy is released from jail. He returns to his home in Catfish Row much richer after playing a game of craps with his cellmates. He gives gifts to the residents, and pulls out a beautiful red dress for Bess, his woman. Bess however has run off with another man, Sportin’ Life, to New York. Porgy calls for his goat cart, and resolves to leave Catfish Row to find her. He prays for strength, and begins his journey, “Oh, Lawd, I’m on my way”.

If you would like to be kept informed about the Waldegrave Ensemble’s future concerts and projects then why not send an email to waldegraveensemble@gmail.com to join the mailing list or even invest in the ensemble by visiting the ‘Friend’s Scheme’ webpage online.

seasOn Pass friend Donation £70 per annum

1 free ticket to all concerts during the year - Regular news about the ensemble - Advanced schedules of Waldegrave performances - Invitations to post concert receptions to meet other Friends and the musicians - Listing in all Waldegrave programmes

dOnOr friend Donation £120 per annum

2 free tickets to all concerts during the year - Regular news about the ensemble - Advanced schedules of Waldegrave performances - Invitations to post concert receptions to meet other Friends and the musicians - A complimentary programme for all concerts - Listing in all Waldegrave programmes

cOmmissiOning friend Donation from £250 per annum

Assign your contribution to a particular work or concert of your choice - 4 free tickets to the chosen concert - Advanced schedules of Waldegrave performances - Regular news about the ensemble - Invitations to post concert receptions to meet other Friends and the musicians - A complimentary programme for all concerts - Listing in all Waldegrave programmes

cOrPOrate friend Donation From £2,500 per annum

4 free tickets for all Waldegrave concerts - Acknowledgement including company logo in all Waldegrave programmes and other printed material as appropriate - Advanced schedules of Waldegrave performances - Opportunities for advertising in conjunction with Waldegrave concerts in the UK and abroad - Opportunities for bespoke entertaining for corporate events

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