Saturday's concert was wonderful with some lovely Debussy from the Emersons followed by the extraordinary Korngold 2 from the Gildas Quartet, some Giuliani from our flute & guitar duo and the wonderful Franck sonata from Lisa and Daniele.
Dinner was late and delicious as ever.
Sunday always feels like an early start after two long evenings but the concert at 11.30 was again full of wonderful performances: Janacek's Mladi, Snow Dreams for flute and guitar, Pierne Variations from the Renard and to round off the official programmes the little matter of Beethoven's op. 135 from the Gildas.
Now on to the afternoon.....!
After a very damp 'picnic' lunch indoors we returned to Lude Drawing Room for well, we were about to find out.... Half way through the week I ask groups to mix themselves into new combinations, think of solos or to perform any novelty items they can think of. We are never disappointed. This year we had Brahms Horn Trio from the Tutors, Bartok Violin Duos, Beethoven Sextet with 2 horns, Haydn Trio, some Chopin from Daniele and the most extraordinary improvisation from Party Piece Peter! On requesting two melodies from the audience - Star Wars Theme and 'On yon bonny banks' he improvised a 'sonata form' movement of huge proportions. We all fell over backwards when he actually managed to combine both tunes simultaneously towards the end. A tour de force!
Not only that but in 3 days Peter managed to compose a 'Lude Fantasy'! This was a fugue based on L (la) U (Ut or C) D & E. It was orchestrated for the exact combination of the 15 instruments present + Peter conducting. It was a fitting end to a great week of music making for all.
Roll on the next one!
