Archive - Monday, 15 July 2002


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Festival keeps musical heritage alive

CIRENCESTER Early Music Festival runs from July 21-28 and kicks off on Saturday, July 21 with choral evensong in the parish church, featuring music from Restoration England performed by Il Piccolo Choro.

This is followed by songs and dances of Tudor times played on a variety of period instruments at North Cerney Church on the evening of Sunday, July 22.

On Monday, July 23 Cirencester Parish Church is the setting for an evening of songs, lute pieces and harpsichord music by Purcell, Dowland, Morley, Arne, Handel and Marcello.

On the same day William Summers (baroque flute) and David Whitehead (harpsichord) play two Bach flute sonatas at Corinium Museum, repeating their performance on July 24 and 25, all three recitals at 5pm. On July 25 at Corinium Museum Richard Lester plays Scarlatti sonatas on a copy of the famous Antunes harpsichord of 1785.

Diabolus in Musica, a musical celebration of the "Lyfe and Happie Restoration of our noble King Charles," takes place at the parish church on July 23 and it is also the setting for a harpsichord recital of works by Bach, Rameau, Handel and Scarlatti performed by John Wilson on July 26.

On the same day a lively discussion on these early musicians takes place at the Song School, and the London Baroque Trio plays Telemann, Marcello and Mancini at Corinium Museum.

On Saturday, July 27 Richard Lester as Scarlatti and Warwick Cole as Handl recreate the famous 1708 contest between the two great composers at 11.30am in the parish church.

This is followed by a recorder workshop at 12.15pm in the Song School and at 2.30pm by an open rehearsal for the Young Musicians' Promenade Concert in the parish church, prior to the real thing - a concert of eighteenth century music by Handl, Bach, Telemann, Vivaldi, Haydn and Mozart with a performance of Susato Dances by alternative girl band, The Early Birds.

The Festival closes on Sunday, July 28 when young recorder players from Saturday's workshop perform what they have learned at The Baptist Church at 10am. Tickets from Cirencester TIC on 01285 654180.