The audience of about 100 people enjoyed an excellent Clarinet Recital at the Winter Lunch-time Concert at St Eligius Community Church, Arborfield Green on Thursday, February 7.
The clarinettist, Nathan Ross, a graduate of the Royal College of Music, has performed at numerous venues throughout the UK including Buckingham Palace.
He is Principal clarinet of the Farnborough Symphony Orchestra, frequent guest Principal clarinet with the Surrey Mozart Players and a member of the Blackwater Valley Wind Quintet.
He was accompanied on the piano by his father, Ross Winters, who was Professor of Recorder at the RCM and Head of Recorder at Birmingham Conservatoire.
He has performed at many London venues, recorded for BBC Radio 3, made two CDs of 20th century English recorder music, and played the piano for 60 years!
The excellent programme commenced with four of Gerald Finzi’s Five Bagatelles: the mellow but decisive Prelude; the atmospheric Romance; the wistful Carol; and the graceful Forlana – most musically performed.
The 3rd Movement: Rondo Allegretto of Francois Devienne’s Premiere Sonata was exhilarating, with rapid fingerwork, gentle and expressive middle passages and a fantastic ending.
The audience was privileged to hear award-winning composer Elizabeth Winters’ composition ‘Prelude 6.52am’!
The piece is linked to the birth of her son, Edward, at 6.52am.
It is constructed on one constantly developing idea, with drama, intensity and moments of repose, finally coming to rest. It was wonderful to hear the piece played so sensitively by Father, accompanied by Grandfather and listened to by Mother, Grandmother and Edward.
Finally, André Messager’s Solo de Concours (Competition Solo) showed the performers’ amazing skills in the brilliant, rapid fingerwork, gentle and lyrical middle section and fantastic runs at the end.
The Family Recital with very high professional standards received tumultuous applause!
Rita Le Var
