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.
Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 - Varaždin
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2021, %RI performed as one of the soloists in Bach’s Second Brandenburg Concerto [BWV 1047] with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble - Hrvatski barokni ansambl - for the second time this year. Last time, in May, I played in a programme entitled ‘Erschallet, Trompeten!’ in the Croatian Music Institute in Zagreb and I had to isolate for 10 days upon my return. This time I performed in Varaždin as part of the 51st Varaždinske Barokne Večeri (Varazdin Baroque Evenings) festival, for a performance at 20:00 on Saturday 25th September 2021 in the St. Nicholas Church (Crkva Sv. Nicole). This time, the programme included the first four Brandenburg Concertos in the order: 1, 4, 2, 3. The other soloists in the second concerto were: Laura Vadjon (violin), Stjepan Nodilo (recorder) and Georg Fritz (oboe). Georg and I played in Il Gusto Barocco’s recording of the Brandenburg Concertos, so it was great to also play with him again.
It was fantastic to re-visit Varaždin and to see my friend Krešimir Fabijanić (I stayed in his home on the first night) who plays first trumpet with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble. I have played in Varaždin twice before: once for a televised performance, with the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, in September 2011 of Bach’s ‘Tönet ihr Pauken…’; and again with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble for Bach’s B Minor Mass in September 2018.
Bach, Brandenburg, Tour, Touring
It was fantastic to re-visit Varaždin and to see my friend Krešimir Fabijanić (I stayed in his home on the first night) who plays first trumpet with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble. I have played in Varaždin twice before: once for a televised performance, with the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra, in September 2011 of Bach’s ‘Tönet ihr Pauken…’; and again with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble for Bach’s B Minor Mass in September 2018.
The Croatian Baroque Ensemble was in fine fettle, and it was great to get to know several of the players a little better, one of them had even been to the Isle of Man, and spoke about their time there with great passion - which was very pleasing to hear!
Having had both vaccinations, I was able to come back to the UK to segue into a rehearsal on Sunday evening in preparation for a CD recording project later in the week. Covid tests were still required before departing, before returning to the UK, and on day 2 upon return to the UK; plus a form to enter Croatia and a form to enter the UK were required.
Having had both vaccinations, I was able to come back to the UK to segue into a rehearsal on Sunday evening in preparation for a CD recording project later in the week. Covid tests were still required before departing, before returning to the UK, and on day 2 upon return to the UK; plus a form to enter Croatia and a form to enter the UK were required.