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.
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret & Easter Oratorio - New College, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2022, %RI returned to Oxford on Saturday 16th April 2022 to perform in the Oxford Bach Soloists’ Easter Festival at New College. I played the cornetto part in Christ lag in Todesbanden [BWV 4] and I played trumpet in Bach’s Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret [BWV 31] and the Easter Oratorio [BWV 249]. Tom Hammond-Davies directed the choir and orchestra. There were excellent vocal and instrumental features throughout, though Yu-Wei Hu (flute), Geoff Coates (oboe and recorder) and Mark Baigent (recorder) deserve special mention for their outstanding obbligato contributions in the Easter Oratorio.
The concert began with a last-minute addition to the programme: an arrangement for organ and harpsichord of one of Bach’s keyboard works which is based on the theme of the chorale Christ lag in Todesbanden. This was played by Dónal McCann (organ) and Anhad Arora (harpsichord)—both exceptionally skilled keyboardists.
It was an excellent performance on this beautifully sunny day.
Bach, Cornetto, Natural Trumpet, OxfordThe concert began with a last-minute addition to the programme: an arrangement for organ and harpsichord of one of Bach’s keyboard works which is based on the theme of the chorale Christ lag in Todesbanden. This was played by Dónal McCann (organ) and Anhad Arora (harpsichord)—both exceptionally skilled keyboardists.
It was an excellent performance on this beautifully sunny day.