REVIEW - WEYMOUTH SUNDAY CONCERT

Weymouth Bay Church

Weymouth Sunday Concerts, promoted by Weymouth Music Club, have been running for more than 70 years; their current venue is Weymouth Bay Church.

This concert was mentioned on the Radio 3 Breakfast Show that morning; this resulted in it being attended by people as far away as Weston-Super-Mare.

Was it an extra special recital? Yes, particularly as it features the highly unusual combination of guitar and oboe, this was the brainchild of the excellent oboist, Stephanie Oatridge, with Adam Brown, guitar.

Both musicians have progressed from winning prizes during their studies to international freelance careers.

The duo aims to dismantle the boundary between classical and popular traditions by performing works from the exciting and evolving Iberian and South American musical narrative. Their concert included Iberian songs alongside works that evoked 1930’s café culture, describing exotic Brazilian dance and street foods.

Everyone felt the joyful exuberance of such works as Piazzolla’s Bordel, Romantico and Café 1930, Machado’s Musiques Populaires Brésiliennes, de Falla’s Canciones: El Paño Moruno and Ravel’s Pièce en forme de Habanera. The musician’s performances were exquisite, full of emotion and drama, but delicate where appropriate.

Altogether a delightful afternoon.

The last concert in the current season will be on Saturday March 4 at 7:30pm, also at Weymouth Bay Methodist Church, and will feature Jason Lewis trumpet and Daniel King-Smith, organ and piano.

JANET FERRETT