I am looking forward to a listening rather than a playing evening on Saturday!  It will be very good to remake acquaintance with our soloist, Andrew Ball and to enjoy a wide range of music with the Chamber Orchestra

We have returned to an old tradition for next season’s brochure by producing a photocopied version for you in advance of the full-colour brochure as some of the fine details are not yet confirmed, including the two HSO Guest Conductors.  It does list all the programmes, the three venues and the NINE soloists so you can book for next season with anticipation and retain your favourite seats.

If you are renewing your Season Ticket, your seats will be guaranteed so long as your reservation arrives with Margaret Packe by 30 June.  New subscribers are also very welcome to join us and can send their booking form and cheque straightaway as well.  Provided Margaret is not completely overwhelmed with orders, all tickets will be ready for collection on 7 July at Ferneham Hall.

Which leads neatly to the Very Important Concert on 7 July – when we celebrate 50 years of music-making by Havant Symphony Orchestra.  We shall be welcoming some special guests, of which more later, but in the meantime please alert players and listeners that you know to the concert which we plan will be followed by a reception in the Bar and Octagon Lounge.  The other occasion of note is the Anniversary Supper on Friday 13th July.  More details of this below.

Of the five new works listed in the brochure, some are still unsponsored and it is also possible to sponsor the soloists’ fees.  Please give me a call if you would like further information

We wish you a happy evening with HCO in rather ‘classical’ mode on Saturday

Tony Gutteridge
(023 9247 4681 or acg@waitrose.com)

Saturday 19 May Programme

UPBEAT in the Meon Area at 6.30pm

Dear Upbeaters!

It will be great to see you all again on Saturday and following on from the super  session you had in March with members of the percussion section, we shall be exploring ‘graphic scores’.  (Many thanks to Sarah and her team for saving Upbeat last time.)

This means that we will compose a score using pictures, stopwatches and standard musical notation – so be prepared to use a variety of tuned and un-tuned percussion instruments – AND to make a lot of NOISE!

Best wishes
Becky Hill

The Pre-Concert Interlude in the Octagon Lounge

7.00 – 7.30pm

All Details on Saturday

A little historical note to tickle your J C Bach listening …

The idea of having groups of instruments engage in spatial conversation with dynamic, harmonic and melodic contrast as well as more friendly imitational discourse dates way back to the late 16th century and the early history of the orchestra.  One of the earliest and most significant collections of compositions in this genre was by Giovanni Gabrieli who published his Sacrae Symphoniae in 1597.  This set of 16 works – scored variously for between eight and 15 instruments and embracing Canzonas and Sonatas – was inspired directly by St Mark’s Cathedral where the spacious and spaced-out galleries could accommodate smaller secondary choirs or instrumental ensembles to that of the of the main body of forces in the Nave.  Gabrieli’s Antiphonal experiments were exploited to the full in these compositions for one, two or three instrumental groupings (orchestras) mainly using a variety of textural colours and echo effects, and providing an important point of departure for many later composers, major and minor.  Among the former are Handel and his three Concerti a due cori (1747), J C Bach’s three works for double orchestra (1774-77) and even extending locally to the Chichester-based composer John Marsh whose unique Conversational Sinfonie for Two Orchestras (1784) focusses on the contrasts of high and low pitched groups rather than two matching ensembles.

For Saturday’s performance of J C Bach’s Sinfonia Op 18 No 1, I am deploying Orchestra 1 (woodwind, horns and strings) on my left and Orchestra 2 (flute and strings) on my right.  The trumpets and timpani have been added merely to reinforce the tuttis (climaxes) and take little or no part in the dual discussions.  Thus, visually as well as aurally, you will be able to observe the musical arguments as I switch from side to side.  Look and listen for …

1. parallel sections of music alternating between the two orchestras;
2. thematic build-ups (fugatos) involving both cumulatively;
3. big tuttis where both are engaged;
4. Close imitation (strettos) between the two;
5. different thematic ideas combined in counterpoint (acute listening here).

The charming central Andante underlines the greater ability (!) of the violins in Orchestra 1 by giving them much busier decorative lines whilst those in Orchestra 2 have much simplified ones.  (Trouble looming here.)

In the ’hunting’ Finale the recipe is very much the same as in the opening movement.

When you fit all this activity together and add the wonderful clarity, grace and balance of the orchestration, you have to conclude that this youngest son of the great J S Bach was a very clever bloke.

Had space permitted, I could also have expanded your expectations and enthused about the other works in this intriguing programme but we shall have to be content with some mere background.

The Water Music Suite 2 is included not only for its current festive flavour but also to give our trumpet players a more positive role in the concert.

As soon as the Mozart G major Concerto was nominated by Lance Dearsley I knew immediately who the soloist had to be – Andrew Ball.

Andrew attended the same school as Sandra, as well as composer Simon Wills and double bassist Mark Frampton,  Barton Peveril School (now College) in Eastleigh.  He first played with us in 1966 aged 15 on recommendation from the Head of Music at BP, Marcus Black and then came a further 12 times until 1981 – which batch of appearances included seven Mozart Concertos including K 453 twice.  I’m sorry it’s been so long, Andrew – and warmest greetings to one of our most distinguished soloists.

A rare Weber symphony completes the programme – no-one in the orchestra has ever played in before and few listeners have heard it.  Just think, had it been successful, Weber might have become a symphonist like Schubert instead of veering towards concertos and opera.  You must judge, but I think it’s well worth an airing – especially the taut Scherzo with its strange mixture of 2– and 3-bar phrases and the immensely playful and witty Finale.

Peter Craddock

CDs for this concert

Sourced by GE

J C Bach  Sinfonia in E flat Op 18/1
Netherlands C O, David Zinman
c/w Symphony Op 6 & Op 9 and Ov: La Calaminta
Newton Classics 8.802065;  2 Bargain Discs

Handel  Water Music Suite No 2 in D
English Concert / Trevor Pinnock
C/w Suites 1 and 3 and Royal Fireworks Music
DG Originals 4777562;  Mid Price

Mozart  Piano Concerto No 17, K453
Murray Perahia / ECO
C/w Piano Concerto No 18 in B flat, K456
Sony CD 36686;  Upper Bargain Price

Weber  Symphony No 1
Queensland Phil. Orchestra / John Georgiadis
C/w Symphony No 2, Overture Turandot and music from Silvana and Die Drei Pintos.
Naxos 8.550928;  Bargain Price

WHAT? No Reminiscences!

We simply cannot believe that you don’t have any thoughts or memories 50+ years of the Orchestras!  Not one single person got in touch in March!

Please, please, PLEASE rack your memory boxes and come up with something, otherwise Peter, Tony Sandra and a few others will have to drag out their much-repeated old stories.

Email Tony or Sandra – or write to their addresses in the Programme Book.

We are waiting to hear from you –
BE SURE OF IT!

Poster deliverers for Stubbington and Lee-on-the-Solent …

Lee is taken care of, thanks to Rosemary Snoad but Stubbington still needs a ‘deliverer’!  Please call Sandra to volunteer on 023 9248 3228 or e-mail: sandra.craddock@ntlworld.com.

HSO’s Golden Anniversary Supper

Friday 13th July, 7.00 for 7.30pm

Interest is hotting up and already half the spaces are taken, even before the menu has been announced.  In fact, we have opted for a cold buffet as it will be mid-Summer and we trust a warm evening!  So the main course will be a variety of cooked meats and fish plus 1950’s style Coronation Chicken, accompanied by a selection of salads with dressings served separately.  Desert will be a choice of dishes including a fruit salad.  There will also be a trio of Anniversary Cakes to accompany the toast.

We have been assured that the Chef will be able to accommodate special dietary needs so please make sure you indicate this on your Booking Form.  The Chef will contact you well before the day to check your specific requirements.

The ‘entertainment supervisors’ have yet to divulge the details of their plans (a special guest to propose the toast, a topical quiz and some music have been mentioned) but the aim of the evening will be to celebrate 50 years of friendship, camaraderie and music-making in genial surroundings.

Booking forms were circulated with the last Newsletter and there will be some on the table in the foyer on Saturday although a phone call to Sandra (023 9248 3228) will suffice to make your provisional reservation.

Cams Hall Golf Club is located a short distance from Junction 11 of the M27, has plenty of parking space and the setting is like a country house estate overlooking a lake and Fareham Creek beyond.  Full directions can be provided if you need them.

Final numbers are needed by early June so, please make your reservations soon.

Wednesdays 23 May and 20 June at 8.00
Baroque Music at Winchester Guildhall
Brochures at our concert or: www.winchesterconcerts.co.uk

Friday 29 June at St Paul’s Chichester, 7.30
The Consort of Twelve
Brochures at our concert or: www.consortoftwelve.co.uk

Wednesday 13 June, 7.30pm
Funtington Music Group
at Chichester University
Rymans Piano Trio with Christopher Gayford and Martin Cropper.  Guests welcome –
Contact 01243 378900 for more details.