Welcome                                     

Cockermouth Music Society is in its sixteenth, very active season. Another great season lies ahead! Not only have we brought back performers whose concerts were highly acclaimed on a previous visit to Cockermouth - Eleanor Fagg, the talented young violinist, the fabulous Atrium Quartet, the charismatic piano duettists Goldstone and Clemmow, and the return of the Britten Sinfonia for another great orchestral concert with Mark Padmore as the tenor soloist. The season opens with a piano recital by Leon McCawley, a former prize-winner in the Leeds International Piano Competition, who has a well deserved national and international reputation. The Florestan Trio, also with an international reputation for their excellence, make their first visit to Cockermouth and the professional series of concerts culminates with a fine young musician already establishing herself as a saxophonist and clarinettist. Junior and Members’ Concerts are certain to repeat the success of this year’s offerings. So this is a another great mixture of the old and the new with lots of stunning programmes of music for us all to enjoy.  

This exciting season also benefits from generous sponsorship from Orchestras Live, Northern Rock Foundation, Allerdale Borough Council, Cockermouth Neighbourhood Forum, Cumberland Building Society, the Countess of Munster Musical Trust and many Society members who have so kindly donated over the years and helped to keep the Society afloat. In spite of all the Arts cuts (threatened or actual) the future of the Society looks bright and all will be well, provided you all turn out to our concerts as often as you possibly can, to enjoy the wonderful music being offered.

If you are lucky enough to live in the Lake District or are one of the millions of visitors, why not take some time out to relax at one of our concerts, meet other music enthusiasts and enjoy the talents of UK and international musicians? 

For more information about our concert dates and how to find us, read on below or contact the Hon Secretary, Mrs Susan Allison at cmusoc@btopenworld.com

Next Concert                            

 Tuesday, 8 December 2009. 7.30pm  United Reformed Church, Cockermouth.

Anthony Goldstone

&

Caroline Clemmow

(piano duet)

Admission: £12 (Members £9)

Accompanied children Free

Tickets from Billy Bowmans Music Shop, Lowther Went, Cockermouth from first Monday of the month (Personal Callers Only) 

or from Hon. Sec. Fell Edge, High Ireby, Wigton CA7 1HF (please enclose a stamped and self-addressed envelope DL size)

Programme 2009-2010 season

Concert reviews

LEON McCawley (piano)

There was plenty of what one audience member termed the “wow” factor around when pianist Leon McCawley performed for Cockermouth Music Society. Apart from possessing flying fingers and a clear understanding of how to present music in the best possible way, McCawley had brought an excellent programme of contrasting styles of musical composition. Beginning with Mozart’s penultimate Piano Sonata in B flat, McCawley immediately demonstrated total empathy with the composer’s style, never overstated and with every detail beautifully shaped. Chopin’s Four Mazurkas (Op.17) were performed with exquisite delicacy, the last one casting a spell with its haunting poignancy. Then came a tour de force in the shape of Busoni’s arrangement for piano of Bach’s Chaconne in D minor. This is a truly monumental piece which in McCawley’s capable hands grew in stature and volume until one felt that the Society piano’s capabilities had been tested to the limit by such a virtuosic deluge of magnificent sound. Six Piano Pieces (Op.118) by Brahms were a wonderful contrast, the pianist moving easily through each one to express the intense personal feelings the composer wanted to convey. The final piece, Schumann’s Faschingsschwank aus Wien, was given a gripping interpretation. McCawley made light of the technical difficulties and his playing had all the humour, dexterity and brilliance one could possibly hope for. What a privilege it was to hear the capabilities of composer and interpreter so perfectly matched!

ATRIUM STRING QUARTET

Mere words cannot possibly convey the tremendous excitement engendered by the performance given by the Atrium String Quartet for Cockermouth Music Society last week.

This outstanding quartet played in Cockermouth two years ago to an enraptured audience and one would have thought that things could not get much better, but we were wrong. This was music at its most sublime. The all-Russian group play with a positive energy which creates an electric atmosphere. The listener is drawn in to the music in a way one rarely experiences. The four musicians, Alexei Naumenko, Anton Ilyunin (violins) Dmitry Pitulka (viola) and Anna Gorelova (cello) have a deep understanding of their craft and their performance brought tears to the eyes of many and a feeling of having been privileged to be present on this occasion. And all this in spite of a programme of music which was at times fairly "dark" in mood. It was if the music laid bare the Russian soul in all its complexities and yet retained much of its mystery; from Prokofiev’s Op.92 with its spiky rhythms, quirky humour and oriental undertones, to Shostakovitch’s Op.117 with its hard hitting drive and underlying lyricism and Tchaikovsky’s Op.30, at his tragic best as he mourned the death of a friend, and yet triumphing with constantly great themes and evocation of Russian folk music.

The Atrium are a truly great quartet, young in years but old in musical understanding. Prizes (amongst others, the first and only Russian Quartet to win the London International String Quartet Competition), tours and recordings have left their ability, commitment and enthusiasm unchanged – long may it continue for all those who have the good fortune to hear them.

ELEANOR FAGG (violin) with ANNA TILBROOK (piano)

A very fine performance of three great violin sonatas was given by Eleanor Fagg (violin) and Anna Tilbrook (piano) for Cockermouth Music Society recently. Eleanor’s pure tone and assured style was impressive, while Anna delivered sympathetic and skilled accompaniment at all times. Mozart’s Sonata in B flat was a wonderful duo performance, both players working together to give a perfect alternation of emphasis where needed. Debussy’s last composition, the Violin Sonata in G minor, is full of fine impressionist inspiration, which the players never allowed to deteriorate into sheer emotion. The wealth of ideas, drawing on the Orient and the Mediterranean, was well displayed and always with great clarity. Finally Franck’s great Sonata in A was given a very fine rendering. This is a passionate work but the two players again controlled the outpourings to give it a disciplined and narrative feel which was very satisfying. To hear it for the first time, as one lady in the audience did, is a never to be forgotten experience. But every hearing of such a piece is a great joy, and never more so than when it was performed on this occasion.

GOLDSTONE & CLEMMOW (piano duet)

THE FLORESTAN TRIO

BRITTEN SINFONIA with MARK PADMORE (tenor)

HANNAH MARCINOWICZ (saxophone / clarinet) with RICHARD SHAW (piano)

Artists (click on artist to go to website)

LEON McCAWLEY (piano)

ATRIUM STRING QUARTET

ELEANOR FAGG (violin) with ANNA TILBROOK (piano)  

ANTHONY GOLDSTONE & CAROLINE CLEMMOW (piano duet) 

THE FLORESTAN TRIO  

BRITTEN SINFONIA with MARK PADMORE (tenor)  

HANNAH MARCINOWICZ (saxophone/clarinet) with RICHARD SHAW (piano) 

Previous seasons' highlights

Cockermouth Music Society has promoted many concerts by professional musicians and has also been active in  commissioning new works.  Memorable evenings of music have been provided by soloists and ensembles including:

Soloists: Ilya Itin - winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1996, Nikolai Demidenko - piano, Peter Katin - piano, Peter Donohoe - piano, Martin Roscoe - piano, Joanna MacGregor - piano, Tamas Vasary - piano, Antti Siirala - winner Leeds International Piano Competition 2003, Andrew Brownell - winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2007, Chiao-Ying Chang - prizewinner in the 2003 Leeds International Piano competition, Marat Bisengaliev - violin, Lucy Wakeford - harp, Nicholas Daniel - oboe, Paul Watkins - cello, David Childs - euphonium, Jennifer Pike - violin, Tasmin Little - violin.

Piano Duet: Anthony Goldstone and Caroline Clemmow.

String Quartets - Danel Quartet, Endellion Quartet, London Haydn Quartet, Maggini Quartet, Vanburgh Quartet, Wihan Quartet, McFarlane String Quartet

Chamber Orchestra: The Hanover Band, The City of London Sinfonia, Britten Sinfonia, Northern Chamber Orchestra.

Other notable ensembles - Fujita Piano Trio, London Mozart Trio, London Concertante, Leopold String Trio, The London Flute Quartet, The Wakeford Ensemble, McLEAN-THORSEN-STRANGE Piano Trio, The Debussy Ensemble, The Fibonacci Sequence, The Frith Piano Quartet.

Commissions of new works: To date five new works have been commissioned and given their première in Cockermouth.  With the support of the Arts for Everyone (A4E) scheme the society commissioned:

Simon Parkin's Quartet No. 3 - first performance June 1998 by the Chalabi Quartet (students from the Royal Northern College College of Music); 

Errollyn Wallen's Rhapsody, a piece for viola - performed by Malcolm Allison with Timothy Lissimore at the piano in December, 1998 and recorded live by the BBC;

Philip Wood's Four Bagatelles performed by Martin Roscoe in September, 1999.

Philip Wood's Piano Trio No. 1 - performed by the Lorca Piano Trio (Malcolm Allison - violin, Bovidar Vukotic - cello and Timothy Lissimore - piano)

The fifth commission, with funding Cockermouth Music Society and Cockermouth Neighbourhood Forum (Cumbria CC) was Philip Wood's Diversions for Cello and Piano performed by Rowena Calvert (cello) and Alison Rhind (piano) in January 2009. 

Preview 2010-11 - Watch this space!  

Further information and bookings

All concerts are open to the public.  Accompanied children are admitted Free (but please ensure you  inform the box office so that a seat is available).

Tickets for all concerts are usually available from Billy Bowmans Music Shop, Lowther Went  (personal shoppers only from first Monday of the month) or from the Hon Secretary (send cheque with s.a.e., please).  Tickets can also be purchased at the door, though for the most popular concerts it is strongly advisable to purchase tickets in advance.

Members of Cockermouth Music Society are entitled to a number of benefits including a reduced admission charge, season tickets and regular newsletters.  For information about membership or if you have any queries please contact :

                            Mrs Susan Allison

                            Hon Secretary Cockermouth Music Society

                            Fell Edge

                            High Ireby

                            Wigton

                            Cumbria CA7 1HF

                            Tel: 016973 71397

                            Email: cmusoc@btopenworld.com

How to find us

All concerts are in the United Reformed Church, Main Street, Cockermouth not far from Wordsworth House. The church is set back from the road. Parking at the United Reformed Church is very limited, so please park on the road or in the main Car Park.  There is a lift and a Stannah chair lift for those who need assistance with the stairs.

For street plan of the area, click here.

Links

Information about concerts and other arts events in the area can be found from:

Making Music  

Cockermouth Harmonic Society

  Theatre by the Lake Keswick

Rosehill Theatre

Sponsors

The Society is very grateful to those shops, companies, arts organisations, including councils, and individuals who provide financial support and other services that enable the Society to provide high quality concerts in Cockermouth.  

Cockermouth Music Society

Patrons: Lord Egremont; Robert Ponsonby, CBE

Registered Charity No 1037505