The Music Appreciation Group

Leader:  Mike Stow - musicapp@ashbyu3a.co.uk - 01530 469152

1st July

Seven of us made it round to Pete’s house in Austry without getting lost for a fine session of a variety of music. With the news that the BBC had finally closed down Radio 4 LW and the subsequent loss of the late night shipping forecast which all sailors used to stay awake for, it seemed appropriate to start the day off with the music which always preceded it – ‘Sailing by’ by Ronald Binge. A piece so gentle and soporific that many sailors fell asleep to it before the forecast started!

That was followed by Matt Monro singing ‘Walk Away’ and vocal group Voces8 and ‘Lux Eterna’. Then to everyone’s amazement Dorothy had chosen a song by Oasis! However it was not the Gallagher brothers but a previous group consisting of Peter Skellern, Julian Lloyd Webber and Mary Hopkin singing ‘Weavers of Moonbeams’. Somewhat different and very pleasant.

Nev brought us sort of up to date with ‘Days we left behind’ from Paul McCarthey’s new album, whilst Sallie had chosen Vladimir Ashkenazy playing the lovely Chopin’s ‘Fantasie Impromptu’

We then moved on to some amazing harmonica playing from the J Geils Band and ‘Whammer Jammer’, followed by The Kinks ‘Thank you for the days’ and a blast from the past – Bert Kaempfert with ‘Swinging Safari’ and James Galway with the theme from ‘The Thornbirds’.

‘Midnight cowboy’ by Harry Neilssen and ‘The Boxer’ from Alison Krauss followed. Andy then played another piece by the extraordinary vocal group Voces8, this time singing ‘I won't dance’ by Gerome Kern.

Pete introduced us to jazz clarinettist Julian Marc Stringle playing an excellent version of ‘Rhapsody in blue’, whilst Mike also introduced us to Oleksandr Khrustevych playing Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’ on accordion rather than violin. Two incredible talents.

We finished off with a run of classic pop and show tunes in the form of Trini Lopez with ‘If I had a hammer’, Barbra Streisand’s ‘Evergreen’, (son of Richard) Joe Stilgoe Trio’s ‘Rhythm of life’, The Mavericks ‘Blue moon’ and finally a full-on performance by Doris Day with ‘Deadwood Stage’ to round off another great mornings music.