12th July 2012 - 12.30 Lunchtime Concert

Picture
Bassoonatics

    - Sophie Shone, bassoon
    - Joanna Stark, bassoon
    - Éanna Monaghan, bassoon
    - Andrew Watson, bassoon


Programme




In the Hall of the Mountain King
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
arr Frances Jones

Humoristiches Scherzo Op 12
Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953)

Dance Hall Suite
Geoffrey Keating

Danny Boy
Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
arr Ian McCubbin

Four Miniatures
John Addison (1920-1998)

Tico Tico
Zequinha de Abreu (1880-1935)
arr Martin and Frances Jones

Last Tango in Bayreuth
Peter Schickele (b1935)

Mexican Hat Dance
Traditional
arr Martin and Frances Jones

The four members of Bassoonatics have collectively spent 61 years playing chamber music in various combinations with other wind instruments; amazingly it took them until the end of 2011 to see the light and realise that the best music, along with the most fun, was to be found in the combination of the bassoon quartet. Now regularly in demand both for both recitals and background music, the Bassoonatics enjoy playing a huge variety of music from arrangements of jazz numbers to more serious original compositions for the combination.  

Éanna, Sophie, Joanna and Andrew met whilst studying as postgraduates the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. The versatility and range of the instrument makes it ideal for performing in a massed group as every part from bass to treble can be played with ease. The individual characters of the different registers make it possible to hear the different voices and lead to huge creative possibilities.

 When not playing bassoon quartets the group enjoys a busy schedule split between teaching, orchestral playing, and visiting the local public houses of South East London (to brainstorm ideas for the quartet). Between them the members have performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, to name just a few. 
 
    
Sophie Shone, bassoon, bassoonist, bassoonatic,
Sophie Shone
Joanna Stark, bassoon, bassoonist, bassoonatic,
Joanna Stark
Éanna Monaghan, bassoon, bassoonist, bassoonatic,
Éanna Monaghan
Andrew Watson, bassoon, bassoonist, bassoonatic,
Andrew Watson
A few short hours after this memorable bassoon concert, Peter Horsfield sent in the poem below, his response to the experience we had shared.

Music on Thursdays: unusual quartet


Bassooniac, Bassoonatic,
Bassooniastic skills – their wit
and humour play throughout a range
of notes astounding, rhythm made
with moving melodies combined.
Four corners of the British Isles,
from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales,
two men, two women, quartet brave
and pioneering in their field:
they breathe and play as one, conceal
their individual traits within
dynamic, living organism.
Unusual harmonies that blend
a resonance unique and send
a joyful message from the heart
access our deep emotions. Are
we hearing sounds that we can share,
which take away our every care?
Variety of music's feast
enthusiastically released
has held us spell-bound in this church.
Lunch-time recital carries a torch
with love expressed to herald this,
the song of the Bassoonatics.

Peter Horsfield 12/7/2012