Evaluation: Last efficiency in collection hits all the suitable notes

ABOYNE – The Wellington County Museum and Archives hosted the ultimate live performance of this season’s Gallery Music Group on March 5 – a program that included 5 items, spanning 4 centuries.

The performers have been Greg Stroh on flute, Judith Douglas on French horn, and Brad Moggach on piano.

The live performance started with the Adagio from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto transcribed for horn. 

Douglas performed the horn solemnly and contemplatively, floating above the wealthy piano accompaniment. 

This was adopted by JS Bach’s Flute Sonata in B minor, the place Judith’s introductory reference to jazz set the temper for a contemporary listening expertise. 

The ultimate Allegro showcased the traditional Bach fugue because the piano and flute melody strains chased each other and bounced between the 2 devices.

The second a part of the live performance had a typical theme of girls, beginning with the Adagio and Allegro, Opus 70 by Robert Schumann, composed in 1849 and scored for French horn and piano. 

Schumann’s spouse Clara performed the piano half at its first efficiency. 

Douglas’ efficiency demonstrated why that is thought-about one of the crucial vital showpieces for the horn. 

This was adopted by Ernest Bloch’s Suite Modale for flute and piano, devoted to Elaine Schaffer, the primary flutist to carry out the work.

The ultimate work on this system was Concertino for Flute, written by French composer Cecile Chaminade in 1902, and thought of an vital piece within the flute repertoire. 

Stroh and Moggach carried out the Concertino masterfully, with the piano offering a meandering background to the main points of the panorama picked out by the flute.

As common, the Gallery Live shows conclude with the viewers mingling with the performers and one another whereas having fun with espresso and biscuits. 

Throughout this time, this reviewer had the pleasure of taking part in two conversations that revolved across the magnificent grand piano housed on the museum. 

In a single dialog, Hugh Drew-Brook recounted the historical past of how the Arts Council bought the instrument for group use by means of his fundraising efforts within the Nineteen Eighties. He and his late spouse Lorraine have been the founders of the Gallery Live performance collection, which has continued ever since.

In one other dialog, Moggach expressed his admiration for the Arts Council’s piano, noting its pretty and forgiving qualities. 

He additionally praised the attentive viewers of the Gallery Music concert events and noticed that the artwork on show can influence the acoustics, however whatever the environment, the piano constantly delivers a good looking sound.

Preparations are already underway for subsequent winter’s Gallery Live performance program, which options six Sunday afternoon performances on the Wellington County Museum and Archives from October to March. 

Data on the upcoming live performance season might be obtainable on the web sites of the Gallery Live performance Group (galleryconcertseries.ca) and the Elora Fergus Arts Council (elorafergusartscouncil.ca).