Complete with gargoyles

This was a lovely little concert. The location is special and old for Canberra: not exactly Notre Dame but it does have gargoyles. It was All Saints in Ainslie, the Sydney sandstone, gothic-styled Anglican church built in 1868 at Sydney's Rookwood Cemetery as one end of a mortuary steam train track, used until 1939, dismantled in 1958 and reconstructed in Canberra. The event was part of the Heritage Festival given its history. The group was called the Rookwood Ensemble playing chamber music, this day mostly of Vivaldi, in the organ loft with the mechanical pipe organ. The organ is itself historic: built in 1857 for a Baptist church in Harrow, UK, and transported to Canberra for dedication in 1990. I just played two pieces and there were another two trios for oboe, violin and organ. Caroline, Heng and Terry were the key performers on the day and well deserve praise for some wonderful solo features. It's odd playing in an organ loft with half your audience sitting with their backs to you, looking to the altar. Even for those with seats turned to the back, there was little too see, with musicians viewed from below and largely hidden by railings. But the music was lovely and the group was capable and the acoustics are satisfying. I was particularly taken by Vivaldi's variations on La Follia. Amongst other works, we played a chamber arrangement by Terry, our organist, of an organ concerto by Bach, arranged from a work by Vivaldi, his violin concerto Grosso mogul. This had possibly the longest count I've encountered (strings don't count like brass): 103 bars of solo organ. Then a finish and an afternoon tea, as is the way with such events, and much good cheer by the performers and others.

Rookwood Ensemble performed Vivaldi and related at All Saints Ainslie. RE were Caroline Fargher (oboe), Terry Norman (organ), Heng Lin Yeap, Heather Shelley and John Dobson (violins), Thayer Parker (viola), Teresa Neeman (cello) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Saints all

I find it hard to say no, so I said yes to the Rookwood Ensemble playing Bach and Vivaldi. Not least because the Bach was JS's Oboe and Violin concerto which I know well from LNL and otherwise. In the end, being bass, I played a limited role, dropping out for the soft segments and hammering in for the mfs, fs, ffs and the like. But what a piece. The counterpoint and melodies and that restrained pizz second movement were a blast. The Vivaldi was his Concerto in D for violin organ and strings: not bad itself. Otherwise, we had several pieces without the string accompaniment, from Quantz, Handel and Scarlatti, played by continuo, recorder, violin, oboe or the relevant mix. We were playing with the mechanical pipe organ at All Saints so we were in the Loft and the pitch rose and fell with the state of the organ on the day (presumably due to humidity and temperature). We got various favourable comments, even from audience who had attended the CIMF Bach at the Fitters' by Bach Akademie Australia. Cool. And we enjoyed it and we raised a few dollars for the All Saints music fund. It's a grand old church for Canberra (built Sydney 1868 for Rookwood Cemetery and transported to Canberra 1958, if I read the plaques correctly). What a pleasure. Thanks to my fellow performers on the day.

The Rookwood Ensemble comprised Heng Lin Yeap (violin), Caroline Fargher (oboe), Ann Neville (recorder) and Terry Norman (organ) with string section John Dobson and Heather Shelley (violins), Paul Whitbread (viola), Teresa Neeman (cello) and Eric Pozza (bass).

Playing daze

It was great to be invited to a chamber music playing day. I knew of these, where chamber musicians get together to read various works in various combinations. I was invited for the Beethoven Septet and that was great. For the first half, I sat in with four cellos, and this had me more on edge. I play bass and cello parts are different, harder to read, busier, with added tenor and treble clefs, still requiring transpositions for low notes and perhaps clumsier for a bass tuned in fourths. That's my excuse. But the Beethoven was a bass part and very comfy. I enjoyed that one immensely. The Canberra Chamber Music Players are the local chapter of the Australian Chamber Music Society. CCMS meets monthly-or-so at the ANU School of Music, for reads and for afternoon tea. About 30 attended this session, spread into about 9 groups of various combinations, different for each of the two sessions. Lots of fun, good company and some very satisfying Beethoven. Not least for the chance to play with Chris Griffiths, visiting horn player for the Royal Northern Sinfonia and brother of my invitor Heather Powrie. A pleasure.

The Canberra Chamber Music Players met at the ANU School of Music. For my Five cellos session, the players were Terry Neeman, Andrew Usher, Laura Kirkby and Tracy King (cello) with Eric Pozza (bass). For my Beethoven Septet session, the players were Sue Bailey (clarinet), Chris Griffiths (French horn), Sue Plaistowe (bassoon), Christopher Gleeson (violin), Heather Powrie (viola), Teresa Neeman (cello) and Eric Pozza (bass).