I enjoyed putting together a programme to mark Sea Sunday at my local arts centre. My idea was to present a daytime event-an hour long mix of music and words on a theme, along the lines of Sunday Miscellany but with more music than words. I wanted enough variety to make it interesting for the audience but not too many soloists so that all performers got a good run. It all came together on Sunday. The sun shone and the fleet of sailing boats in the regatta making their way from Dunmore to Tramore could be glimpsed through the windows . It wasn't all plain sailing though. We weathered the storms of an erratic piano pedal and some extraneous percussion. It was lovely to see so many friends and fellow musicians in the audience Many thanks to my wonderful guests pianist Marian Ingoldsby, soprano Roisin O Grady and writer John Hannigan. The hat collection in aid of RNLI came to €180. Thank you all who came along.
Summer Miscellany Set
List
1
Violin Lark in Clear Air TC Kelly arr
2Violin Amhrain na Leabhair trad Baidin Fheilimi arr TC Kelly
3Voice Caro Mio Ben / Giordano / Amarilli mio Bella Caccini
4 Piano Mompou El Lago
5 John Hannigan Spoken word
6 Roisin An Die Musik / Auf dem wasser Schubert
7 Vln Roses of Picardie Haydn Wood / In a Monastery Garden Albert Ketelbey
8 Piano Carolans Concerto
9 John Hannigan Walt Whitman/ Eliz Barrett Browning
10 Violin Neopolitan Serenades Santa Lucia/ Vieni sul Mar Toselli’s Serenade
11 Roisin The Meeting of the waters Thos Moore
Lovely to see the Munster Express critic, Liam Murphy and his wife Margaret in the audience. Here is Liam's review of the occasion.
Violin Lark in Clear Air TC Kelly arr
2Violin Amhrain na Leabhair trad Baidin Fheilimi arr TC Kelly
3Voice Caro Mio Ben / Giordano / Amarilli mio Bella Caccini
4 Piano Mompou El Lago
5 John Hannigan Spoken word
6 Roisin An Die Musik / Auf dem wasser Schubert
7 Vln Roses of Picardie Haydn Wood / In a Monastery Garden Albert Ketelbey
8 Piano Carolans Concerto
9 John Hannigan Walt Whitman/ Eliz Barrett Browning
10 Violin Neopolitan Serenades Santa Lucia/ Vieni sul Mar Toselli’s Serenade
11 Roisin The Meeting of the waters Thos Moore
Lovely to see the Munster Express critic, Liam Murphy and his wife Margaret in the audience. Here is Liam's review of the occasion.
ARTS & THEATRE REVIEWS
SEA SUNDAY RECITAL REVIEW Summer Miscellany
It was an 'I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside' sort of summery feeling in the Coastguard Cultural Centre Tramore to mark Sea Sunday. Cathy Desmond (violin), Marion Ingoldsby (keyboards), Roisin O'Grady (soprano) and John Hannigan (spoken word) entertained. The sea shimmered out on the bay and gentle breezes filled the room where people relaxed and sang along to favourite tunes.
Organised by Cathy Desmond who has an estimable musical reputation and her reviews for The Irish Examiner and her excellent blog work are to be admired. She began with a beautiful violin work on 'The Lark In The Clear Air' and the tune 'Amhrain na Leabhair' that segued so well into 'Baidin Fheilimi' and people sang along sweetly and memorably.
Roisin O'Grady is a noted soprano and her singing of 'Caro Mio Ben' and 'Amarilli Mia Bella' was delightful. Poet and workshop leader, John Hannigan, read a poem about the Seahorse Tragedy, 'Pale Ghosts At Twilight' where the tide was in and the holiday-makers long gone and the men in uniform of a bygone era march again like pale ghosts as the light faded and a ritual was enacted in eternal memory was well suited to the location.
There was the rattle of cups from the downstairs cafe and a dog barked in the courtyard as Marion Ingoldsby delighted on keyboards with 'El Lago', a wistful tune where the notes rippled like sunshine on water.
The gentle nostalgia was wonderful for 'Roses Of Picardy' and Ketelbey's 'In A Monastery Garden', two violin tunes where Cathy Desmond excelled and she added two Neapolitan tunes; 'Santa Lucia' and 'Toselli's Serenade'. 'Two Lovely Black Eyes' peered out and the lilting and humming were beautiful.
John Hannigan touched on the hopes and dreams of children with 'Little Boy Blue' by Eugene Field, a sentimental but much-loved poem.
all three musicians joined for a wonderful 'The Meeting Of The Waters', bringing a wonderful afternoon hour of music, musings and memory to a close.
