The ancient stones of the original C12th core of St. Michael and All Angels, Lyonshall, must have heard much in their day, but probably nothing quite like the journey through the extraordinary range of sounds that a violin can make. The prodigiously talented and award-winning violinist, Hannah Roper, entertained an audience of HHCT supporters on Saturday evening 19th October, with a quite stunning performance of items from J. S. Bach to pieces Hannah had arranged herself. Most people are probably familiar with the type of music they can expect to hear in a Bach fugue, but how many will have heard the violin simulating a flute, Welsh harp or – perhaps most interestingly of all – a set of bagpipes? And yet Hannah played Tangos no.5,4 and 3 from Tango Etudes by Astor Piazzola (not, as Mouse might have thought, an American variation on a pizza) originally written for solo flute, and three Traditional British Folk Songs which she arranged which incorporated the other two instruments. A drone reproduced on a violin was fascinating and the pizzicato was, in fact, very reminiscent of a harp.
Tangos played a prominent part in the programme with the famous Por Una Cabeza (from The Scent of a Woman, True Lies and Schindler’s List) as well as the Piazzola ones which were anything but traditional, very modern and idiosyncratic and unlikely to be performed on Strictly any time soon as they appeared fiendishly difficult. There was much that was fast and furious, including The Red Violin Caprices and The Wild Fiddler’s Rag (Mouse’s favourite) with plenty of double-stopping, but Hannah received the inaugural Yehudi Menuhin Prize for string playing whilst at Cambridge University as well as receiving a Philharmonia Orchestra Music Scholarship three years running so played the ferociously difficult pieces with perfect aplomb.
A particularly interesting piece was Sonata Monologue by Aram Khachaturian. Completely unlike any recollections one may have had of the Adagio from Spartacus (The Onedin Line theme) this was quite discordant and lacking any “tunes”. Hannah suggested listening with one’s eyes shut to see what images appeared. Mouse tends to follow instructions so complied and it was fascinating to learn afterwards that very similar images appear to others who have listened to Sonata Monologue.
Imagine – a bare, windswept hill, brushed with low, scudding grey clouds. A horde of mounted warriors appear, originating from the East somewhere, with waving pennants and martial bearing. They make camp; the following morning there is a battle during which they annihilate the local tribe, break camp, shrug their cloaks closer around their shoulders and ride away…..
Many thanks to Hannah for sharing her violin’s capabilities with us in such a compelling way. We are so fortunate that she was born and brought up in Herefordshire and is happy to have played for us.
Thanks, too, of course, to Liz Avery and her team at St. Michael and All Angels, Lyonshall for welcoming everyone so warmly. We have never been as physically warm in a church, and the plates of home-made nibbles that appeared were extremely moreish! Hannah craved fried chicken, as apparently, she always does after performing, but we would have happily scoffed all the rest of the nibbles. In fact, I think we did.
Church Mouse