The Medieval Manuscript the 'Chronicles of Mann and Sudreys' mentions various locations, including the Isle of Man, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and even places as far away as Norway and Brittany.
Russell Gilmour (trumpet) and David Kilgallon (organ) use melodies from these countries and they merge and fuse these ideas together with their own to create unique compositions for trumpet and organ. The idea behind their musical collaboration is to explore traditional music from these countries and to adapt the music, interpret it and explore it. Chronicles' musical format is slightly unusual in that it combines trumpet and organ - not the instruments you may initially associate with folk music - but it is an approach that has sparked a lot of interest.
Their limited edition EP "Prologue" is a sample of things to come, as the production of a full album is underway. The full album will be Chronicles' musical impression of the Isle of Man's influences and rich history - as documented in the Chronicles of Mann.
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writing on music, photography, travel and life as a freelance professional musician.
Vivaldi - Gloria - St. Martin-in-the-Fields
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2020, %RIt is always great to perform at one of the most famous churches in London, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, on the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square.
On this occasion, Thursday 13th February 2020, I played Vivaldi’s Gloria [RV 589] on the piccolo trumpet with the Brandenburg Sinfonia under the direction of Andrew Earis (Director of Music at St. Martin-in-the-Fields).
In preparation for this performance, I had invested in a set of specially-designed tuning slide pliers in order to free the 4th valve slide on my Scherzer piccolo which had ceased. They were definitely worth the investment.
The small orchestra was led by violinist Hilaryjane Parker and featured Richard Simpson (oboe) and Russell Gilmour (trumpet) in the wind and brass sections. I have written before about the influence that the 1994 Last Night of the Proms had on me when I was young (both here and after I played in my first BBC Prom in 2016) and so it was great to play alongside Richard Simpson, who had played the oboe solo (accompanied by harps) entitled ‘Home, Sweet Home’ from Sir Henry Wood’s ‘Fantasia on British Sea Songs’.
The candlelit performance featured Vivaldi’s ‘Magnificat’ [RV 610], Bach’s ‘Komm Jesu Komm’ [BWV 229], Monteverdi’s ‘Beatus vir’ [SV 268], Pergolesi’s ‘Magnificat’ and Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ [RV 589], with excellent solos, duets and choral singing from St. Martins Voices.
Brandenburg Baroque Soloists, London, Modern TrumpetOn this occasion, Thursday 13th February 2020, I played Vivaldi’s Gloria [RV 589] on the piccolo trumpet with the Brandenburg Sinfonia under the direction of Andrew Earis (Director of Music at St. Martin-in-the-Fields).
In preparation for this performance, I had invested in a set of specially-designed tuning slide pliers in order to free the 4th valve slide on my Scherzer piccolo which had ceased. They were definitely worth the investment.
The small orchestra was led by violinist Hilaryjane Parker and featured Richard Simpson (oboe) and Russell Gilmour (trumpet) in the wind and brass sections. I have written before about the influence that the 1994 Last Night of the Proms had on me when I was young (both here and after I played in my first BBC Prom in 2016) and so it was great to play alongside Richard Simpson, who had played the oboe solo (accompanied by harps) entitled ‘Home, Sweet Home’ from Sir Henry Wood’s ‘Fantasia on British Sea Songs’.
The candlelit performance featured Vivaldi’s ‘Magnificat’ [RV 610], Bach’s ‘Komm Jesu Komm’ [BWV 229], Monteverdi’s ‘Beatus vir’ [SV 268], Pergolesi’s ‘Magnificat’ and Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ [RV 589], with excellent solos, duets and choral singing from St. Martins Voices.
Before the rehearsal I met my former trumpet teacher for lunch. We enjoyed a fantastic curry at Dishoom in Kings Cross, which a friend had introduced me to during the Aurora Orchestra project that culminated at Kings Place last week.