It’s been many many moons since I’ve done a one-man/two-clarinets/two-bassoons video of John Williams’ music. In fact, since my last one they’ve made a couple of new Star Wars films, and therefore I would now like to present some music from one of those for you. Here is Rey’s Theme, from Episode VII – I hope it was worth the wait!
This Week’s Adventures
I can truly say I did my bit to contribute to Hull’s ‘City of Culture’ status on Monday, by doing a very successful spot of busking with The Jelly Roll Jazz Band. As some sort of non-definitive proof, here’s a variation on my usual point-of-view photo:
Or, for those who would prefer to see it from the audience’s perspective, here’s a selection of videos sent to us by a kindly passer-by:
While I’m here, I’ll inform you of a key date for your diary: Friday 21st April (Tomorrow! Crikey!) I’ll be back in my old role as bassoonist with Scarborough Concert Band for a performance in aid of Scarborough Alzheimer’s Society. Do come along if you are able – here are the specifics:
Scarborough Concert Band, Scarborough Community Choir, and Eleanor and Libby Wood
Friday 21st April
7:30
Westborough Methodist Church, Scarborough
www.scarboroughconcertband.co.uk/home/4577093808
Upcoming Musicals
Good afternoon everybody. Now seems like a suitable moment to inform you all of a few musical theatre productions I’m going to be involved in over the near future, and therefore that is what I shall do. Are you ready? Here we go!
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Monday 24th April – Saturday 29th April
7:45, with 2:30 matinee on 29th
The Dugdale Centre, Enfield, EN2 6DS
ffbos.com/current-show
If you like pies made from unconventional types of meat (and I’m not talking about horse), you’ll love this show. It’s all about a guy called Sweeney Todd, who’s a barber and also a demon, and he gets up to no good on Fleet Street. I’ll be manning the bassoon, with possibly a dash of flute and/or clarinet thrown in. Also, us musicians will be in full view so if you particularly dislike my face then you may want to stay away.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Monday 24th April – Saturday 29th April
7:45, with 2:30 matinee on 29th
The Dugdale Centre, Enfield, EN2 6DS
ffbos.com/current-show
If you like pies made from unconventional types of meat (and I’m not talking about horse), you’ll love this show. It’s all about a guy called Sweeney Todd, who’s a barber and also a demon, and he gets up to no good on Fleet Street. I’ll be manning the bassoon, with possibly a dash of flute and/or clarinet thrown in. Also, us musicians will be in full view so if you particularly dislike my face then you may want to stay away.
Kiss Me, Kate
Tuesday 2nd May – Saturday 6th May
7:30, with 2:30 matinee on 6th
Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking, GU21 6GQ
waos.info/shows/latest-show
Here’s something a bit less intense, after the bloodbath of Sweeney Todd. ‘Kiss Me, Kate’ is a musical about someone called Kate, and someone else who would quite like a kiss from her. It’s got music by Cole Porter, which is never a bad thing, and some stuff about Shakespeare, which I suppose is also good. I’ll be on clarinet, flute and some saxophone or other. If you come along and say ‘hello’ then I promise to give you a chocolate biscuit in return.
Legally Blonde
Tuesday 30th May – Saturday 3rd June
7:30, with 2:30 matinee on 3rd
YMCA Theatre, Scarborough, YO11 1DY
scarboroughmusicals.co.uk
Back on home turf again, to reprise my role as Reed 1 in Legally Blonde at the YMCA. This musical is about a person who is blonde but doesn’t need to worry about being prosecuted for it. I’ll be playing flute, piccolo, clarinet and alto saxophone, and if I can afford to buy some oboe reeds in time then I might play that as well. But I’m not making any promises. Also, note that I won’t be performing on Saturday 3rd so if you don’t like the sound I make when I blow down instruments then that’s probably the best day to attend.
My New Favourite Lyrics
Well I had a splendid time last week playing for ‘Tahiti!’ with Bloomsbury Opera. We got to throw paper around, loudly blow air down our instruments, and shout “You’re smelly!” a lot. At least, I assume that was part of the performance…
he highlight, however, has to be my new all-time favourite lyrics, from Bernstein’s ‘Trouble in Tahiti’:
he highlight, however, has to be my new all-time favourite lyrics, from Bernstein’s ‘Trouble in Tahiti’:
‘Trouble in Tahiti’… in Bloomsbury!
‘Tahiti!’
Bloomsbury Opera
Saturday 25th – Sunday 26th March
8:00
Great Hall, Goodenough College, WC1N 2AB
www.goodenough.ac.uk/opera
Bloomsbury Opera
Saturday 25th – Sunday 26th March
8:00
Great Hall, Goodenough College, WC1N 2AB
www.goodenough.ac.uk/opera
This weekend sees me in Bloomsbury, where I shall be performing in the orchestra for ‘Tahiti!’! This show gives you two operas for the price of one (although they’re both quite short so that probably makes up for it). First up we have the world premiere (ooooh…) of ‘Pacific Pleasures’, which is essentially a prequel to the other item on the programme, Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Trouble in Tahiti’. I’ll let you do the Googling and see what they’re all about. Performances take place in Goodenough College, which I’m sure will be.
Instrument-wise, I’ll be playing a whole menagerie of clarinets, consisting of:
- The normal one.
- The normal one’s slightly taller brother.
- The tiny one.
- Bertram.
Also, if you’re wanting to come and see this, do drop me an email first because I’ve got two free tickets to give away to my favourite applicants!
What I Did Last Week
Here are a couple of things that you, my loyal readers, may find interesting from the past week. First up, here are some videos of The Jelly Roll Jazz Band that we got before performing in Farrer’s Brasserie on Monday. They feature me on clarinet, James Ure on the world’s fastest sousaphone, and Alastair James on hat:
1) Sweet Sue
2) Match of the Day
The other thing you might like is the latest in my ongoing series of bassoonist’s point of view photographs, this time featuring my reed along with a special guest bassoon. This one is from Saturday, rehearsing for a concert in Durham Cathedral which you already know about from reading my last blog post:
Karl Jenkins’ ‘The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace’ in Durham Cathedral
Durham University Choral Society and Durham University Palatinate Orchestra
Saturday 11th March
7:30
Durham Cathedral
www.musicdurham.org/event/spiritofpeace
It’s a well-known fact that once I’ve been included in an orchestra it’s very difficult to get rid of me again. In that spirit, I intend to infiltrate the ranks of Durham University Palatinate Orchestra once more this weekend for a joint concert with Durham University Choral Society in Durham Cathedral! My, that’s a lot of Durhams.
The performance will feature Hubert Parry’s Blest Pair of Sirens (that’s a piece of music by the way, not a vaudeville act), along with the magnificent The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, by Karl Jenkins. It’s really very good. If you don’t believe me, have a listen to this:
See, I told you it was good. But d’you know what’s even better than hearing it on YouTube? LISTENING to it LIVE in a massive CATHEDRAL with a big CHOIR and a big ORCHESTRA with ME in it! So do make an effort to attend if you can. As always, I will be distributing imaginary gold stars to anybody who comes along.
Upcoming Performances
The Sandside Orchestra
Saturday 4th March
7:00
Westborough Methodist Church, Scarborough
scarboroughcommunitychoir.wordpress.com/welcome-to-our-choir/latest-news
This Saturday, I heartily encourage you all to make the journey to Westborough Methodist Church for what I’m sure will be a marvellous evening of music and raffles. The Sandside Orchestra will once again be joining with Scarborough Community Choir in a concert featuring extracts from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gilbert and Sullivan, Andrew and Lloyd Webber, and Rachmanin-and-Off. These concerts are always highly enjoyable, and there’s only one of them a year so if you don’t come along this week then you’re scuppered! I shall be playing the ‘big-tube-of-a-million-thumb-keys’, as I believe the ancient Aborigines called it. To give you a taster, here’s a picture from last year’s performance, with me looking furious for some reason:
Saturday 4th March
7:00
Westborough Methodist Church, Scarborough
scarboroughcommunitychoir.wordpress.com/welcome-to-our-choir/latest-news
This Saturday, I heartily encourage you all to make the journey to Westborough Methodist Church for what I’m sure will be a marvellous evening of music and raffles. The Sandside Orchestra will once again be joining with Scarborough Community Choir in a concert featuring extracts from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gilbert and Sullivan, Andrew and Lloyd Webber, and Rachmanin-and-Off. These concerts are always highly enjoyable, and there’s only one of them a year so if you don’t come along this week then you’re scuppered! I shall be playing the ‘big-tube-of-a-million-thumb-keys’, as I believe the ancient Aborigines called it. To give you a taster, here’s a picture from last year’s performance, with me looking furious for some reason:
The Jelly Roll Jazz Band
Monday 6th March
7:00 – 9:00
Farrer’s Bar and Brasserie, Scarborough Spa Complex
Facebook event
In case any of you have been having delusions lately of me being a serious musician, do come along to this performance and witness the truth. I will be playing liquorice stick (and yes I did have to look up that spelling) with everybody’s favourite eccentric jazz band, in an evening programme of tunes ranging from ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ to ‘Stranger on the Shore’ to ‘Hiding Under the Bubblewrap with You’. Joining me will be the massively musical Alastair James on belly-fiddle, and the supremely skilful James Ure on foghorn. If you’re good we might even consent to talk to the audience for a change, so you’ll get to hear what our human voices sound like!
Say “Hello” to Bertram
[EDIT: Sadly these videos seem to have been lost in the mists of time, but have a dig elsewhere on this blog for other samples from my baritone saxomophone and bass clarionet! – MG, 3/4/23]
To kick off this shiny new blog, I thought it would be nice to introduce to you two new members of my instrumental family! First up, we have Count Bertram Bassy:
Secondly, meet Baritone Obama (featuring the world’s first invisible neck strap):
Ten points for every mistake or dodgy bit of video editing you can successfully ignore!
A Welcome Message from Gebrüder
Well, I was going to write a big fancy speech to welcome you all to this freshly minted new blog. But then I thought it would be more sensible to give such an honour to my long-term collaborator and bassoon, Gebrüder. So here is his welcome message to the world:
Eloquently put, my friend. Eloquently put.
