John Gough (Piano), Karen Slack (Clarinet), Laurie Ashworth (Soprano)

Here is a PDF of the Poster for this Concert. (click to VIEW or right click to SAVE). Please feel free to print and display the brochure to help publicise this concert.

Programme (announced 31st August)

Schubert: The Shepherd on the Rock
Strauss: Drei Lieder der Ophelia
Poulenc: Sonata for clarinet and piano (3 movements)
Hageman: Three Songs
Cooke: Three Songs of Innocence
Quilter: Four Songs
Bliss: Pastorale
Ferguson: Four Short Pieces
Bellini: Three Songs
McCabe: Three Folksongs

Brief Report “on the night”

A great start to the season, with plenty of fine music, and interesting humorous introductions.

All pictures taken by Roger Evans

Press Report

Wow! What a brilliant start to the Middlewich and District Concerts Society’s 28th season. John Gough (piano), Karen Slack (clarinet) and Laurie Ashworth (soprano) came, played and sang and captivated an appreciative audience. John provided introductions to most pieces with great insight and gentle humour, with Laurie talking about some of the songs.

The programme was wide-ranging, beginning with “The Shepherd on the Rock”, with typically Schubertian depictions of hope and despair in love, and superbly performed. There were groups of songs by Richard Strauss (Ophelia), Richard Hageman (poems by Hilaire Belloc), Arnold Cooke, Roger Quilter and Vincenzo Bellini, together with the sonata for clarinet and piano by Francis Poulenc, Arthur Bliss’ Pastorale and Four Short Pieces by Howard Ferguson. The programme was structured so as to give Karen and Laurie a breather from time to time. The final piece was a performance of Three Folksongs, by John McCabe, culminating with an exhilarating arrangement of John Peel to a hornpipe!

Our three musicians performed with great sensitivity and communicated well with each other and with the audience. Altogether it was a splendid evening of music making!

For more information about Laurie Ashworth visit her own web-site (in a new window), by clicking HERE