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.
Mozart - Requiem & Coronation Mass - Southwell Music Festival
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2024, %RI performed in two concerts at the Southwell Music Festival in its tenth anniversary season in August 2024. My first performance at the festival was on Sunday 25 August 2024: I performed in a (sold-out) concert with the Festival Voices which featured Mozart’s Requiem [K. 626] along with a new commission by Cheryl Frances-Hoad entitled With What Sudden Joy. This piece for solo soprano (Alison Rose), choir and string orchestra, featured lyrics by Kate Wakeling, a well-known writer and musicologist who had worked in close collaboration with members of the local community and the composer. The work was commissioned by the festival director, Marcus Farnsworth, who always works tirelessly at and for this wonderful festival; he also conducted both works. The performance of Mozart’s Requiem (trumpets: myself and Graham South, and timpani: Keith Price) was vibrant and exciting and it was great to play in the excellent Festival Orchestra, led by Jamie Campbell, alongside many colleagues who had also performed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony from memory with the Aurora Orchestra at the BBC Proms just a few days ago.
The second concert I played in, which also took place in Southwell Minster, featured a performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass [K. 317]. This was a ‘Come and Sing’ event, and a 180-strong chorus came and sang! Marcus Farnsworth rehearsed and conducted the combined forces with great panache and energy. It was a very enjoyable early afternoon concert and my wife sang in the chorus. This was the first time that we have ever played in the same performance since we met (we did perform together once before we knew each other), and a great way to spend bank holiday Monday (26 August 2024). If you haven’t been to Southwell Music Festival before it is well worth a visit!
Festival, Natural Trumpet
The second concert I played in, which also took place in Southwell Minster, featured a performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass [K. 317]. This was a ‘Come and Sing’ event, and a 180-strong chorus came and sang! Marcus Farnsworth rehearsed and conducted the combined forces with great panache and energy. It was a very enjoyable early afternoon concert and my wife sang in the chorus. This was the first time that we have ever played in the same performance since we met (we did perform together once before we knew each other), and a great way to spend bank holiday Monday (26 August 2024). If you haven’t been to Southwell Music Festival before it is well worth a visit!
