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.
Related Journal Articles:
writing on music, photography, travel and life as a freelance professional musician.
Bach - Christmas Oratorio Tour - Les Talens Lyriques & Nederlands Kamerkoor
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2022, %REight performances of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio; eight standing ovations. This was a tour of Holland to remember, with so many great components, including the Nederlands Kamerkoor, Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset, Johanna Winkel (soprano), Sophie Harmsen (alto), Zachary Wilder (tenor) and Krešimir Strazanac (bass).
We performed in the Tivoli Vredenburg in Utrecht (12 December 2022), De Doelen in Rotterdam (13), the Muziekgebouw in Eindhoven (14), the Pieterskerk in Leiden (17), the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (19), the Grote of St Gudulakerk in Lochem (20), Musis in Arnhem (21) and Amare in The Hague (22).
Utrecht was a great first concert, Rotterdam was vibrant, Eindhoven was fun (also with table football offstage), Leiden was freezing outside and impressive inside, Amsterdam was very special, Lochem was homely (and featured outdoor midwinterhoorn playing), we were live on NPO Radio 4 in Arnhem, and the performance in The Hague was a fine epilogue.
I have been away with Les Talens Lyriques for three tours in very close succession. It is a fantastic orchestra and it is easy and rewarding to play with these fine musicians. In the last 36 days with this orchestra, I have played first trumpet in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (eight times), Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (three times) and Orchestral Suites No. 3 & 4 (three times). I also played in their recording with the tenor Michael Spyres. In those 36 days, I have been home for only 4 nights! I was very pleased that my wife could come to Holland to join me for some of the tour, and she listened to our Amsterdam concert from the balcony in the Concertgebouw. The bass soloist, Krešimir Strazanac, very kindly gave my wife his flowers from the Concertgebouw performance.
Bach, Les Talens Lyriques, Natural Trumpet, The Netherlands, TourWe performed in the Tivoli Vredenburg in Utrecht (12 December 2022), De Doelen in Rotterdam (13), the Muziekgebouw in Eindhoven (14), the Pieterskerk in Leiden (17), the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (19), the Grote of St Gudulakerk in Lochem (20), Musis in Arnhem (21) and Amare in The Hague (22).
Photo credit: Rupert Whitehead
It was a pleasure, as ever, to play first trumpet in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. We had a great team, with Gareth Hoddinott on second trumpet, Imogen Whitehead on third, and Hervé Trovel on timpani. Jeroen Biliet and Yannick Maillet were a brilliant horn duo.
Utrecht was a great first concert, Rotterdam was vibrant, Eindhoven was fun (also with table football offstage), Leiden was freezing outside and impressive inside, Amsterdam was very special, Lochem was homely (and featured outdoor midwinterhoorn playing), we were live on NPO Radio 4 in Arnhem, and the performance in The Hague was a fine epilogue.
It’s now easy to forget that this kind of event was difficult a year ago and impossible two years ago! Playing at the Concertgebouw (for my second time: read about the first time here) was a real thrill, and it was great to play the solo aria Großer Herr in this wonderful and world-famous acoustic. Every section of the orchestra excelled; Gillone Gaubert (violin) was outstanding in her solo arias and so too were Jocelyn Daubigney (flute) and the wonderful oboists: Gilles Vanssons, Georg Fritz, Vincent Blanchard and Lidewei de Sterck. The bassoon, strings and continuo section were also thoroughly excellent! The Nederlands Kamerkoor were exceptional: their consonants were unanimous, and their ensemble sound was spine tingling.
I have been away with Les Talens Lyriques for three tours in very close succession. It is a fantastic orchestra and it is easy and rewarding to play with these fine musicians. In the last 36 days with this orchestra, I have played first trumpet in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (eight times), Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (three times) and Orchestral Suites No. 3 & 4 (three times). I also played in their recording with the tenor Michael Spyres. In those 36 days, I have been home for only 4 nights! I was very pleased that my wife could come to Holland to join me for some of the tour, and she listened to our Amsterdam concert from the balcony in the Concertgebouw. The bass soloist, Krešimir Strazanac, very kindly gave my wife his flowers from the Concertgebouw performance.
It leaves me only to say a huge thank you to the trumpet section, the orchestra, the choir, Christophe Rousset, the soloists, and all those who have been involved in organising these concerts. It has been a wonderful tour. A lot has changed since I last performed in The Hague (with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century); a new concert hall has been built, replacing the Dr. Anton Philipszaal. One thing that hasn’t changed is the love that people from The Netherlands have for music.
Happy Christmas, and cheers!