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.
Die Spiegel von Versailles - Berlin Baroque Trumpet Ensemble - Halle
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2024, %RI played as one of three first trumpeters with the Berlin Baroque Trumpet Ensemble (Barocktrompeten Ensemble Berlin), under the direction of Johann Plietzsch, in the Halle Handel Festival. We performed in the Marktkirche Unser Lieben Frauen, the church in which Handel was baptised and was first taught to play the organ, on Sunday 2 June 2024.
Sebastian Lauckner, Christian Seidel and Thomas Rink (contra bassoon)
Germany, Handel, Natural Trumpet, TourThe programme entitled 'The Mirrors of Versailles' (Die Spiegel von Versailles) featured 'baroque splendour' from European courts: it began with Michel-Richard Delalande’s Premier Caprice and continued with his Concert de Trompettes. Thereafter we performed Johann Friedrich Fasch’s Concerto à tre chori, Philidor’s Marche de timbales, the Prelude from Charpentier’s Te Deum, and Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks [HWV 351].
Our wind and brass ensemble was arranged in three choirs and comprised a total of 9 trumpets, 12 oboes, 3 bassoons, and 3 contra bassoons, with 3 horns in the finale: I made so many wonderful new acquaintances during this large-scale project. I met so many interesting new acquaintances who were very warm and welcoming. One of those was Thomas Rink, a former librarian, who was so helpful: he looked through the proof copy of my book, offered very warm congratulations, and helped to check the German.
I'd like to thank Johann Plietzsch for organising this ambitious and exciting project.
Photo © Barocktrompeten Ensemble Berlin
As luck would have it, I was already in Halle at the start of this project: I managed to fit in this second project in the Halle Handel Festival after the wonderful performance of Handel’s Jephtha with Les Talens Lyriques.