Reviewing local, live classical music concerts and recitals, as well as newly released recordings
The Church of St. John’s, Harrow, enters its 50th season of lunchtime concerts
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by Vlad Bourceanu The church of St. John the Baptist, Sheepcote Road, Harrow, HA1 2JE, is entering its 50th season of fortnightly lunchtime concerts (having, however, missed a season in 2020–2021). The first concert of the new season will take place on Thursday, September 25th, 2025, at 12:30 p.m., featuring brass trio Buck Brass, performing music from a large selection of composers, including Arcangelo Corelli, Joseph Haydn, Thomas Adams, and traditional works such as Amazing Grace, in an arrangement by Richard Buck (trombone). It gives me special joy to attend and review concerts performed at venues who might not otherwise get extensive coverage, so I hope, time allowing, to attend and review as many St. John’s Harrow lunchtime concerts as possible, this season. It is a venue where, time and time again, the level of performances has proven to be of very high quality. I look forward, therefore, to its upcoming concert season … watch this space! |
More Than Just Notes
Reviewing local, live classical music concerts and recitals, as well as newly released recordings
After the usual deliberation, I chose my album of the week, today. Released 26 September 2025, this is Ms. Dobrinka Tabakova's Sun Triptych. YOUTUBE ALBUM LINK As I listened to it, I made notes of the impressions I had. I decided not to edit any of them on publication, but to offer them "as they are" to you. Here they are. Whispered Lullaby: the very first piece on the album left me silent, in awe of its spacious, minimalist sounds. The beautiful piano entry (Dasol Kim) is a wonderful...
Gemma Rosefield, Benjamin Nabarro, Rowan Pierce, BBC Philharmonic, George Vass by Vlad Bourceanu (donate, via PayPal) This album was released on 19 September 2025, and is dedicated (as its title suggests) to the concerti of Henriëtte Bosmans. YOUTUBE ALBUM LINK From the first note of her Poème for Cello and Orchestra, I was struck by its passionate, late Romantic sound … in the vein of Ernest Chausson and perhaps even Eugène Ysaÿe. Gemma Rosefield, the cello soloist here, displayed incredibly...
The 50th lunchtime concert season at St. John’s Church, Harrow, launched today (Thursday, 25 September 2025, at 12:30) with its first recital, given by Buck Brass. The brass trio (Katie Lodge, trumpet; Timothy Ellis, French horn; Richard Buck, trombone) started their programme with Be Be Three by Steven Verhelst, a modern Belgian composer, who wrote this piece in four movements especially for this group. During the first part of the piece, I felt that the players were still adjusting to the...