Past Events

MAMS Friday March 28th - review Orchestra Pro Anima (and special guests) What a triumphant finale to this season’s sell-out MAMS concerts. This was the welcome return of Michael Bochmann and the Orchestra Pro Anima (for the soul) plus 16 very special guest performers, who sat very quietly listening as part of the audience, while waiting for their time to play. The first half of the evening was devoted to three fine examples of the string repertoire, beginning with the very apt ‘Spring’ from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, followed by Elgar’s ‘Serenade for Strings’ – both always a joy to listen to. That was followed by JS Bach’s sublime concerto for two violins (known as the Bach ‘Double’), the slow movement of which is definitely ‘music for the soul’ and how wonderful it was to hear it in the setting of Malmesbury Abbey. To quote Monteverdi (as the programme did) ‘the end of all good music is to affect the soul’ and the several seconds between the end of the last note of the Bach and the beginning of the audience applause, was a magical moment of silence and appreciation. Michael’s string orchestra are small in number, but that intimacy gives a certain clarity to the parts and it is a pleasure to see and hear the interaction between the players. During the interval the ‘special guests’, some 16 young string players from the area, quietly and carefully set themselves up on the stage, ready to play next to and amongst the professionals. We had everything from a group of beginner violinists from a local Primary School, who have never played in a group, to more advanced violinists, viola players and ‘cellists. (For those who care about these things, from pre-Grade 1 to Grade 8 standard) They then played ‘Sarabande’ from Concerto Grosso by Ralph Vaughan Williams, composed in 1950, for precisely this sort of performance - parts for advanced, intermediate and open string players. Quite nerve-wracking for the first-timers but they held their nerve, concentrated hard and were admirably held together by the conducting skills of Nicky, one of the OPA viola players. The second ‘Tutti’ piece was the ‘Andante Festivo’ by Sibelius – a little more straightforward to play together, as there were less individual parts and a more ‘robust’ piece of music. What an achievement! The audience obviously thought so as well and there were a few cheers (and possible tears from a couple of parents!) as the players all finished absolutely as one - and removed their bows in precision. I think these young musicians will remember this for a very long time. That sense of exhilaration and achievement that only playing and performing can give. What a fantastic, innovative and aspirational concept, to give an opportunity to play with professionals. All power to Malmesbury Abbey Music Society for offering them and their parents such a unique experience. OPA continued the programme with Rameau’s ‘La Poule’, normally played on the harpsichord, but here in a very successful arrangement for strings. We could certainly hear the chicken pecking in the dust! This fabulous evening finished with a set of Bela Bartok’s ‘Romanian Folk Dances’. Very evocative and captivating, and, of course , immaculately played by OPA. All I can say is that I look forward to next year’s MAMS season of exciting programming and to see where 25/26 leads us musically. JB