Exquisite music introduced with humour in the lovely setting of Donnington Priory – what better way to pass an evening?
Newbury Spring Festival: Coracle
at Donnington Priory
on Thursday, May 15
Review by STEPHEN OTTNER
Exquisite music introduced with humour in the lovely setting of Donnington Priory – what better way to pass an evening? The music may be difficult to pigeonhole to a particular genre but it’s not difficult to embrace the music and admire the skill of the three musicians combining their influences from folk to jazz. Paul Hutchinson (accordion) is one of the foremost accordionists in the UK, performer, educator and composer he has been part of Hoover The Dog, Belshazzar’s Feast and Pagoda Project. Karen Wimhurst (clarinet) is the other half of Pagoda Project and is also a widely commissioned composer, choral director and educator. Hannah Cummings (fiddle) recorded her first folk CD at the age of 13 and a member of Dyer:Cummings and The Klezbians.
The music performed was selected, in roughly equal measure, by each member of the trio. Paul and Karen provided original instrumental compositions by themselves and Hannah songs from other composers. Karen’s tunes were towards the jazz end of the spectrum such as Rewind. A piece inspired by her early experience in electronic music which involved splicing magnetic tape, sometimes playing parts in reverse.
Jitters expressed the deviation from the norm happening with climate change. Putting the clarinets to one side, Karen flawlessly sang Maggie Holland’s tongue twisting song A Place Called England.
As well as original compositions Paul is master of variations on an existing tune as demonstrated by his anti-foxhunting variation of the Irish slip jig Foxhunters and Black & Grey from Playford’s 17th century Dancing Master.
Concluding the first half was his particularly moving The Promised Land, inspired by seeing a refugee camp in France and thinking about the endless walking they had done to get there. Hannahs first song was her setting of a poem by George Wither which is as relevant today as when it was written in the 17th century. Brisk Lad was a song she had learnt Paul Sartin, the much-missed musician from Whitchurch who was also Paul Hutchinson’s partner in Belshazzar’s Feast for over 25 years. The cautionary tale of The Ballard of Ellie Chapman was a song written by Hannah.
I have no hesitation in highly recommending any reader to see them, though you will need to look for ‘Pagoda Project with Hannah Cummings’ as the rest of their tour is with that title.
