Lunchtime Recital 1^st September 2023
Benjamin Carnell (cello) and Ian Ray (piano).

Benjamin had contacted us and asked if he could perform at one of our recitals. We are so pleased he did!

Ian Ray, it turns out, used to teach at Colchester Institute and had been a colleague of Stephen Jones’ aunt, Eileen Poulter who was a professional soprano specializing in the oratorio and Early Music repertoire. She sang in the Purcell Consort with Grayston Burgess and was a soloist with many famous groups such as the English Chamber Orchestra and other leading soloists of the day. You can still find recordings of her on Spotify. 

She met Stephen’s uncle when they both sang for Charles Kennedy Scott’s Oriana Madrigal Choir. When she retired from solo singing she taught at Colchester Institute and gave recitals with Ian who was a colleague of hers there, and worked for the Britten Pears Trust in Aldeburgh with Donald Mitchell. 

Benjamin remained a bit of a ‘dark horse’ for some of us, but we really appreciated his introductions.

Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No.2 was composed for the King of Prussia, himself a very keen cellist. Typical of Beethoven it has all different varieties of music and explosions.

The composers of the two pieces that followed, Suk and Dvořák were very muck linked. Suk was a student of Dvořák and married his daughter. Suk’s Ballade has points of fire and points of calm contrasting. The Serenade is a song of love, very open and outgoing.

Dvořák had a particular interest in writing for the Cello and one of his greatest pieces was his Cello Concerto. He often played Cello in a trio and wrote the Rondo as a challenge to show off his virtuosity – the fast scales and arpeggios were designed to impress the audience. And impress us they most certainly did!

And then as icing on the cake, we were offered an unexpected fourth piece Moeren’s Prelude, written for the cellist Peers Coetmore, who later became his wife. Written from the heart when he was amongst the pyramids in Alexandria it is a very reflective intense piece with strong emotions.

The recital was a real treat for us and as is often the case when you are close up to the artiste the emotions displayed in their faces and in the movement of their hands add to the pleasure of the music.

We very much hope to see them again (and with a better train service – Benjamin’s travails in getting to us by train could fill another page)