EBORACUM -PURCELL AND A PINT AT MICHAELHOUSE
Crispin Steele Perkins, arguably the world’s greatest trumpeter, stood in King’s College Chapel at the start of his last concert there and explained the ancient version of the trumpet to his audience. He reckoned it was entirely a matter of plumbing - and it all began with a very simple instrument indeed - not valves or mechanics just a long tube, flared at one end. The musician had to make his own notes .
Eboracum’s star trumpeter , another Chris, Chris Parsons, on top creative form did just that in their concert on Saturday night. The glorious tones of his golden - old fashioned - trumpet blew out the heart-stirring notes of everyday seventeenth century music.The sound bounced brilliantly around St. Michael’s and All the Angels church, pure and thrilling. Every note made by his own skilled practice A rendition of Jeremiah Clarke’s famous numbers gave us trumpet sounds as seldom heard.
But this was no ordinary concert. The seventeenth century saw the beginning of wonderful classical music in this country - sophisticated Henry Purcell, John Dowland, persecuted for his Catholic religion in constant fear of arrest,lead a phalanx of musicians whose beautiful music heralded the beginning of opera itself in the case of Purcell and glorious lieder for Dowland. Eboracum Baroque Pub Band delighted us with by songs by in a truly original context.
Already famous for their sublime renditions of Handel - Eboracum ‘s latest Messiah is contemporarily eloquent and take the work away from school-style predictability into a musical realm much closer to the great man’s imagining. The ordinary world of pubs and taverns and popular balladry gets so often overlooked. Eboracum Traditional have rescued these lively - and fun - songs, Purcell, Clarke, Matteis and yes Dowland, from the past to present to audiences willing to explore the 17th century of the working man, of the yarning sailor or adventurous military man - or even the itinerant fantasist with his creative tales of derring- do.
The recorder emerged at top talent in the hands of Miriam Monagham. Her rendition of one of Van Eyck’s compositions for recorder was astonishing in its skill and virtuosity. Her anecdotes between numbers proved intriguing - despite the tricky acoustic in Michaelhouse - all this is new to most of us.As was her nigh on miraculous breathing technique, about as far away from the recorder of my recollection as you could get. The string instrument provided some delightful bass and happy harmonics when played by Miri Nohl . She gave us a range of lovely solo pieces on her Viol (seven stringed instrument with such a different tone to the cello) as well as performing with the group on the modern instrument. Laurence Lyndon Jones played the harpsichord throughout ; no solo piece from him but the iconic contribution of this instrument ran throughout the evening’s music.
Sturdy singer John Holland Avery, MC and vocalist, with his various props and costumes, ran the evening with a command of tavern ballads ( although I think they would be more authentic learned by heart. The audience had fun joining in with The Maid of Islington a dreadful tale of seduction avenged and as the evening wore on the audience joined the action and we sang our parts with gusto, which might have been a more lusty participation, had we consumed our allocated ‘pint’ during the show, instead of as we exited! Alcohol consumption rules prevailed. The evening concluded with a good old Pub Quiz - containing such questions as how Purcell died at the tender age of 35. Apparently he caught a chill when is wife locked him out, or he died of TB or it was chocolate poisoning that finally ended his life. Answer - he possibly died of all three.
A lively evening in Michaelhouse for these uber talented young players. They are technically brilliant, top of the range musicians, but I would like to see more swagger - they’ve a lot to show off so how about some costumes , more ‘mein hoste’ from the great John Holland Avery and a bit more drama to showcase their considerable skills. The stories behind the often very bawdy ballads are brilliant authentic and fun. So go for it Eboracum Pub ; in what is a super fresh and original show.
Look up the website for this energetic and fun Pub Band on:
Next concerts:
Saturday 4th June - Handels Coronation Anthems and Water Music
Thursday 9th June - Saturday 11th June - Concerts at the Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester.
JULIE STEVENSON
