The King’s Lynn Festival

The organ at St Nicholas, taken not very long before Francesca Massey entertained us with her playing of it.

The King’s Lynn Festival has been happening, and still has a few days to run. I have attended several events. This post looks back some splendid concerts.

TUESDAY EVENING

My first concert featured a string trio and two clarinet quintets (string quartet plus clarinettist). This took place a King’s Lynn Minster, starting at 7:30. It was a fabulous evening.

FRIDAY EVENING

Things went awry in two ways on Friday. My parents, coming up for the weekend, and intending to be here in time for “Leipzig to Hamburg 1735”, featuring the music of Bach and Telemann were seriously delayed en route, meaning that my mother missed the whole of this concert. I did get there, after a visit to the Corn Exchange to have our tickets reprinted. The programme was then significantly changed because cellist Kate Bennett Wadsworth was ill, so the pieces had to be suitable for flute and harpsichord only. Flautist Anne Heemskerk and harpsichordist David Wright rose splendidly to the challenge, and it was a very interesting event indeed. I then had to hurry across town to the Corn Exchange for the second concert we were booked into, a Jazz quartet playing music composed by John Coltrane (this year being the 100th anniversary of his birth). My parents arrived just in time that my mother did at least get to enjoy this one.

SATURDAY: EARLY MUSIC

The first event of a fun-filled Saturday was an organ recital at St Nicholas Chapel, by Francesca Massey. The organ at St Nicholas Chapel has a very high reputation, and Francesca Massey did it full justice, producing a superb display of very well chosen pieces.

In the early afternoon there was a viol concert at the Corn Exchange, with Jacqui Robertson-Wade and Peter Wendland, followed by an opportunity to try a viol. I availed myself of this, having done a bit of cello playing.

At 7:30PM, back at St Nicholas, the Academy of Ancient Music led by violinist Bojan Cicic provided an Italian baroque extravaganza, including two composers new to me, Mossi and Valentini, also featuring Locatelli, two pieces by Vivaldi and closing the show a Corelli concerto grosso.

The evening ended with viol music (French pre-revolutionary pieces) played by Jacqui Robertson-Wade and Peter Wendland from 9:30PM until just after 10:00PM.

PHOTOGRAPHS

I end with a photo gallery relating to this post:

The Town Hall, just across the road from The Minster, Tuesday night’s venue.
The frontage of the Minster
The round window behind the altar at the Minster.
This purple lighting was a feature of all the events – I was not a fan.
Pictures from All Saints Church.
The harpsichord used at All Saints on Friday evening.
The instruments for the jazz evening, just before it started – a piano, a double bass and a drum set. A saxophone also featured.
St Nicholas upper front.
The side door at St Nicholas
The organ at St Nicholas.
Viols at the Corn Exchange.
This is an instrument that goes by several names – theorbo and chittarone are two of them
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Author: Thomas

I am a founder member and currently secretary of the West Norfolk Autism Group and am autistic myself. I am a very keen photographer and almost every blog post I produce will feature some of my own photographs. I am an avidly keen cricket fan and often post about that sport.

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