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Tewkesbury Abbey, 13th July 2006
Salomon Orchestra president and Cheltenham International Music Festival Artistic Director Martyn Brabbins invited Salomon brass fixer Cathy to supply players for the brass orchestras for Berlioz Grande Messe des morts for the 2006 grand finale of the festival at Tewkesbury Abbey. A contingent of regular and irregular Salomon players (including a father/daughter team in orchestra 4) participated in an exciting and superbly directed performance by Martyn, which was sold out well in advance.
Rehearsing Berlioz Requiem as seen from the
brass orchestra at the back of Tewkesbury Abbey
Excerpts from The Guardian Review 'Tewkesbury's austere Norman grandeur
can accommodate and offset the requiem's gorgeous excesses...' 'Berlioz, who was susceptible to the
frissons of high drama, wanted his music to have a similar impact on the
audience. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the Dies Irae of the
Grande Messe and its glorious explosion of brass and timpani at the
words Tuba Mirum. With brass choirs... ...set at the four points of the
compass, the reverberation through the nave was awesome. Wrap-around
sound never came more all-enveloping than this.' Rian Evans, Tuesday July 18, 2006,
The Guardian The reviewer referred to the brass as
members of the Portishead Town Band. The Portishead players were
unavailable and 11 out of the 16 in the brass orchestras were
provided by Salomon fixer Cathy (the rest were local Gloucestershire
musicians), with Salomon players to the fore.
Martyn Brabbins in rehearsal for the finale of the Cheltenham Festival 2006
Whilst not being a Salomon engagement those of us participating appreciate the links we have with Martyn and thoroughly enjoyed the occasion (even though brass orchestra 4 was kept out of sight in the Lady Chapel).
For details of Salomon's Tchaikovsky-athon with Martyn at the 2005 Cheltenham festival click here.
©Salomon Orchestra
2006
President Martyn Brabbins - Vice President Oliver Taylor - Registered Charity No. 256753