Concert - Sunday June 2nd 2024
(click pictures to
enlarge)
LIGHT
MUSIC CONCERT
AT THE BRITISH HOME, STREATHAM,
LONDON.
It appeared that
summer had arrived at last !
A clear sky and
very warm sunshine beckoned us
back to Streatham on Sunday June
2nd, as several London Light
Music supporters joined the
audience, together with some of
the residents and staff, to enjoy
a superb concert of some fine
Light Music.
 As usual, the
orchestra was in the capable
hands of Mark Fitz-Gerald, who
– together with oboist Ian
Finn – devised the
programme. However, for the first
time this year, the conducting
duties were shared between Mark
and a young newcomer, Matthew
Lloyd-Wilson (right). He enjoys a
number of conducting posts with
various orchestras in southern
England, and although his main
'stock-in-trade' veers towards
the more 'serious' end of the
musical spectrum, it immediately
became apparent that he has an
intuitive empathy for 'our kind
of music'.
An innovation this
year would have featured some
vocal numbers, but unfortunately
the soprano who was due to appear
had to withdraw at the 'eleventh
hour' due to losing her voice, so
some last-minute re-jigging
resulted in the inclusion of
extra orchestral pieces, as
starred below*.
The sixteen
compositions were therefore as
follows :-
Theatreland
Jack Strachey - (The
orchestra’s signature tune)
Beachcomber Clive
Richardson
A Vision In Velvet
Trevor Duncan
The Grasshoppers’ Dance
Ernest Bucalossi
Childrens’ Dance from
Miniature Suite* Eric Coates
Lullaby from Three Bavarian
Dances Sir Edward Elgar
Dick’s Maggot from First
Suite of English Folk Dances
Ernest Tomlinson
Scene du Bal from Miniature
Suite Eric Coates
Rotten Row Angela Morley
Intermezzo from Miniature
Suite* Eric Coates
The Runaway Rocking Horse
Edward White
Down Longford Way
Catherine Parker
The Teddy Bears’ Picnic
John Bratton
Venice – from Cities of
Romance Haydn Wood
Entry of the Gladiators
Julius Fucik
Barwick Green – From My
Native Heath Arthur Wood
The ensemble
largely consisted of professional
musicians who gave their services
gratis on their day off,
complemented by some excellent
amateur instrumentalists.
Considering that they only had
one short rehearsal just before
the concert, their sparkling
performance was quite remarkable.
Afterwards, I
spoke to their lady leader, Gill
Tarlton, who every year
undertakes the considerable
journey from her home in Ipswich,
Suffolk. She told me that she
loves playing this kind of
musical fare, as do her
orchestral colleagues.
Thanks are due to
Mark Fitz-Gerald, Matthew
Lloyd-Wilson, Ian Finn and also
to trombonist Frances Barrett,
who introduced each item and is
responsible for all the
administrative arrangements.
These annual
events are held to raise funds
for the British Home, which is a
Royal Charter Charity, providing
accommodation and care for people
with neuro-disability.
I’m sure that
I speak for us all when I say
that we are much looking forward
to the next concert, which is due
to take place on Sunday June 1st
2025.
© Tony
Clayden June 2024
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