News Another successful Howden Festival draws to a close
A Howden Festival season ticket holder offers us a view of last week's events:
After looking through the dictionary and thesaurus to find the right word for Howden Festival, the only word I can find to do it justice is 'fantastic', in its literal sense.
So much has happened through the week of fantasy – Brazilian musicians and dancers immediately following a superb talk on the Yorkshire dialect which itself was preceded by sublime music on trumpets ('Rhapsody in Blue' had to be heard to be believed!)
The week started on Saturday, September 15 with a performance by the Redbury Singers, who also participated in the choral evensong the following day. Their voices filled the minster with glorious music.
Sunday evening was the opportunity for four comedians to lift the spirits of the audience.
Monday was another varied and entertaining day, starting with a lunchtime organ recital by David Leeke. Anyone who has not experienced the full power and versatility of our minster organ must have come away from the recital feeling awestruck.
The evening was the time for fun. A hilarious lecture on the evils of tobacco contained pathos but this was followed by Chekhov's 'The Proposal' in which Other Lives Productions had the audience laughing heartily. From Chekhov to a barbers' shop chorus may seem a large step, but for us it was a ten-minute walk to the Shire Hall.
The White Rosettes charmed everyone and Sally McLean, the musical director, even had the audience joining in; different sections of the auditorium sang the bass, tenor, baritone and lead parts.
Caroline Tate-Lovery and Alan Jones showed a large audience that saxophone playing is not just for jazz bands during their Tuesday lunchtime recital.
In the evening, Basil Lewis gave a fascinating talk on the history of the music hall, illustrated by contemporary recording of some of the songs that were all the rage. It gave those of us of a certain age a chance to sing along...
Howden Catholic Church proved to be the ideal location for the performance of chamber music. The music from the harpsichord, recorder, violin and viola de gamba would have been lost in the minster, but in this setting it was perfect.
The guitar playing on Wednesday lunchtime was marred by lack of volume, but what could be heard was delightful.
Gillian Stapleton and Lucy Adlington entertained us with their 'Fun and Frivolity: The History Wardrobe', during which they gave us an insight into the secrets of women's wear during the Regency period. If only history could always be taught in this way - we would have many more historians!
Standing ovations were the order of the evening when the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band filled the minster with sound and people - the minster has rarely had such a large congregation! Soloists enthralled us with their virtuosity and the conductor kept us amused between offerings. The whole audience joined in for a 'Last Night of the Proms' - style second half and were singing and waving flags like seasoned promenaders. Even that, however, did not prepare us for the band's wonderful rendering of the 1812 overture with which they finished their programme.
Unassuming and very, very talented was the pianist at Thursday's lunchtime concert. Natalia Wandoch entranced her listeners with music by Ravel, Mozart and Schumann.
Prudence Bebb, a popular Yorkshire historian, author and formerly head of history at Howden School, explained to a large audience how she set about writing her novels and descriptions of various towns during Regency times.
In complete contrast, we were treated to an evening of jazz by the Tim Kliphuis Quartet who played such varied items as the second movement of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Ellington's 'It Don't Mean a Thing'.
Ben Dawson and Olly Carey got Friday off to a rousing start as they kept their audience spellbound with their trumpets. Not only classical music, but also some popular tunes like 'Misty' and 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
The comedians on Sunday cannot have raised more laughter than Dr Arnold Kellett did with his talk on Yorkshire dialect and its humour during the early-evening session. It was a pity that he was limited to about an hour – we could have listened to him all night.
Viramundo, a Brazilian band, played to an enthusiastic audience on Friday evening. We were thrilled by incredible drumming, pleasant singing and attractive dancers demonstrating nearly all their charms and juggling of tambourines. The evening ended with the younger (and not so young) members of the audience filling the floor as they danced to the insistent rhythms of the band.
The last performance of the festival proper, on Saturday evening, was in direct contrast to the South American sounds. Anthony Goldstone and Caroline Clemmow at their two pianos fascinated their audience with piano versions of the overture to 'The Magic Flute' by Mozart and Greig's well-known Piano Concerto in A Minor. The second half of the recital consisted of the original piano version of Holst's 'The Planets Suite' - an inspiring experience.
The ecumenical service linking the churches in Howden brought the festival to a close on Sunday, September 23.
Looking back on the week as a whole, I feel privileged to have seen so many highly skilled performers doing so many varied things so well in so short a time. The week commencing September, 13 2008 is already pencilled into my diary as a week when I can dedicate myself yet again to yet another wonderful experience.
Season ticket holder
Published on 27th September 2007 in News.
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