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Review of King’s Lynn Festival’s Early Music Day at St Nicholas’ Chapel: Outstanding organ recital and fabulous feast of Baroque music




Reviewer Andy Tyler shares his thoughts on King’s Lynn Festival’s Early Music Day...

I’m delighted the King’s Lynn Festival’s Early Music Day seems to have become an annual event, as it’s given concert and recital-goers the chance to enjoy live performances of varied early music in one day and evening, and, under one roof!

This year we were given the choice of two recitals and a concert, all being performed to great acclaim at St Nicholas’ Chapel in Lynn.

Harvey Stansfield, organist for the Early Music Day at King's Lynn Festival
Harvey Stansfield, organist for the Early Music Day at King's Lynn Festival

The day started with an outstanding organ recital given by Harvey Stansfield, currently the organ scholar at Peterborough Cathedral, where he has a major role; he also performs widely as an accompanist and recitalist.

Harvey has released his debut CD Fanfare and his recital consisted of a varied programme of pieces by J.S. Bach, Robert Schumann, Dietrich Buxtehude, Felix Mendelssohn and Samuel Coleridge Taylor.

All works were performed with authority and confidence, and Harvey’s interpretations were very well received.

The King’s Lynn Festival’s Early Music Day was held at St Nicholas Chapel in Lynn
The King’s Lynn Festival’s Early Music Day was held at St Nicholas Chapel in Lynn

A fabulous feast of Baroque music started the final two sessions of Early Music Day with the return of The European Union Chamber Orchestra, directed with great enthusiasm and finesse by lead violinist Hans-Peter Hofmann; the orchestra gave clean-cut, but rich toned, and buoyant performances of works by Corelli, J.S.Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, and a favourite Baroque composer of mine, G.P.Telemann.

Tabea Debus gave a truly virtuosic performance as soloist in Telemann’s Recorder Concerto in F major, and she was joined by Miriam Monaghan, also on recorder, in a spirited performance of J.S. Bach’s 4th Brandenburg.

All praise to Hans-Peter Hofmann’s violin contributions, I especially enjoyed the soloists and orchestra’s graceful and inventive musical decorations, not forgetting the continuo players!

Last, but certainly not least, the distinguished, acclaimed harpsichordist, Masumi Yamamoto gave a fine performance of J.S.Bach’s Goldberg Variations, sharing the emotional range, and technical complexity of the variations with the entranced audience.

Masumi Yamamoto, harpsichordist for the Early Music Day at King's Lynn Festival
Masumi Yamamoto, harpsichordist for the Early Music Day at King's Lynn Festival

The brief background information to the pieces by some of the artists during the event was welcome and thanks to all involved,and the sponsors, for another memorable Early Music Day. We look forward to The Charles Burney Early Music Festival in the autumn.

Review by Andy Tyler



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