7–18 July 2025, Clarinet retreat, Chanac
Under the guidance of tutor Luc Laidet, I had chance to play in the orchestra [including solos in “Morning” from the Peer Gynt suite (Grieg) and the Pavane (Fauré)]. The clarinet in A became useful for parts in more accessible keys. I participated in a chamber music group rehearsing the Kegelstatt trio (Mozart), but we did not reach performance level. Individual tuition involved guidance on the Concertino (Weber) and a Study in A by Rose (“chiant ce truc”). Luc gave me the opportunity to play a bass clarinet for the first time. I shared the “Gîte des moins jeunes” with two flautists, Charlotte and Anne.
22 June 2025, le Motet, Les fleurs et les arbres – Trois siècles de musique française (Fête de la musique), Cathédrale St.-Pierre, Genève
The programme included performances, conducted by Romain Mayor and with organ played by Takahiro Sasaki, of so called “repertory” works (for encores), a work to feature in the next concert and a reprise of some of the movements from the concert of 11 May. The programme consisted of: Salve regina (Ropartz); Ubi caritas (Duruflé); Calme des nuits (Saint-Saëns); Les fleurs et les arbres (Saint-Saëns); Strophes polyphoniques (Villette); Notre père d’Aix (Villette); and choral extracts from the Requiem of Campra and In exitu Israel of de Mondonville.
Moments musicaux featuring songs performed at the concert of 14 June 2025 follow.
22 June 2025, Fête de la musique, Parc des Bastions, Genève. Performance of an almost complete programme of songs from the Dreams concert.
6 June 2025, Pride, Parc des Bastions, Geneva. Preview of five songs from the Dreams concert with the addition by popular demand of members of Bella ciao as an encore.
4 May 2025, Thé dansant, La Soliderie, Nyon. Preview of songs from the Dreams concert.
15 June 2025, Les Genevoix, Dreams, Paroisse de Villamont, Lausanne
Make them hear you is in four part harmony throughout.
14 June 2025, Les Genevoix, Dreams, Collège Voltaire, Geneva
Nikolai Denisov and I played accompanying clarinets for Hijo de la luna.
For Thriller, a look was sought that would add to the creepy atmosphere; my proposal to use “ponchos” cut from bin bags proved to be an easy, cheap and effective solution. Callum Watson and I split the final spoken verses between us. I also sponsored the fog effect created using solid CO2 used during this number.
Finally, I performed a few lines from the Tempest (“we are such stuff as dreams are made on”) as the final text interlude.
13 June 2025, ABRSM grade 8 clarinet, Ecolint – la Chataigneraie
I passed, with a bit of a scrape, but was ably accompanied by Kristina Annamukhamedova. The Brahms Sonata No 2 is not easy for the piano! I also played the first movement of the Concertino by Seiber and a Study on I got rhythm (Harvey).
7-8 June 2025, Voice workshop weekend, Lausanne
University contemporary, Richard Walker, arranged for two American ladies resident in Italy, Marianna Brilla and Lisa Paglin, to come over and tutor half-a-dozen or so students with varying amounts of vocal experience.
11 May 2025, le Motet, Campra, Requiem, de Mondonville, In exitu Israel, Temple de St. Gervais, Geneva
These works of French baroque composers are not heard often. Preparations included learning the ornament conventions of the period, e.g. trills of progressively more rapid changes between notes on the final word, and pronunciation of Latin to comply with the practice of the time. The temple (the local name for a protestant church) was full and we had an appreciative audience.
30 March 2025, Orchestre de l’Ecolint, New world symphony, Centre des Arts, La Grande Boissière, Genève
This concert, under the direction of Kornilios Michailidis, presented Dvorak’s New world symphony in its entirety. I was happy to be seated next to the first clarinet of the OSR and learned a lot.
26 March 2025, Moment musical, Villa Dutoit, Genève
This was an opportunity to present some Sullivan music – rarely heard sur le continent. With thanks to Marina Lodygensky for the vocal coaching.
15-16 February 2025, AMAA chamber music retreat, Fondation Hindemith, Blonay
A weekend led by Stefano Cirrito and involving wind and string players and tutors.
13 January 2025, new clarinet tutor, Haoran Wang
Very pleased to be working together in the run up to ABRSM grade 8.
15 December 2024, Joint carol service of the English-speaking churches, St François, Lausanne
Annual service conducted by Richard Walker amidst the Christmas market.
5 December 2024, Ecolint centenary concert, Victoria Hall, Geneva
Scott Stroman wrote a cycle of songs for the event, Songs of love and laughter. I was happy to play first clarinet in the orchestra.
4 December 2024, le Motet, Vaughan-Williams: Hodie; Toward the unknown region; Victoria Hall, Geneva
A concert of English music that brightened the grim dark days of winter. This concert was postponed from 23 December 2023 due to Covid affecting not one, nut two, soloists.
25 November 2024, Moment musical, Villa Dutoit, Genève
With many thanks to Marina Lodygensky for the vocal coaching. I dedicated the Gounod to sister Helen (RIP).
21-2 September 2024, Baby wants candy! musical comedy improvisation workshop, Le Multatuli, Paquis, Geneva
Derek Demkowicz and Adrien Pellerin led the activities.
27 July/3 August 2024, Clarinet retreat, Flaine
My individual clarinet tutor was François Tissot: I also participated in a chamber music group led by Pierre Walter.
Moments musicaux featuring songs performed at the concert of 15 June 2024 follow.
11-13 October 2024, Pride, Aosta. Reprise of songs from the show, plus Bella ciao!
27 August 2024. Everybody’s perfect, quai Gustave-Ador, Geneva. Reprise of songs from the show.
20 July 2024, Pride, Martigny. Reprise of five songs from the show.
23 June 2024, Bains de Paquis, Carouge. Reprise of five songs from the show.
14 June 2024, Fête de la musique, Temple de Carouge, Carouge. Advance performance of five songs from the show.
17 May 2024, IDAHOBIT, ILO, Geneva. International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia; advance performance of five songs from the show under the baton of Louis Salicetti.
16 June 2024, Les Genevoix, Summer lovin’, Eglise Villamont, Lausanne
15 June 2024, Les Genevoix, Summer lovin’, Collège Voltaire, Geneva
T-shirts arranged in rainbow formation were a feature of a photo just outside the aula.
1 June 2024, belated 70th birthday party, Hôtel Warwick, Geneva
My good friends, Renegade Saints, and les Genevoix entertained 100 or so guests and a great time was had by all. This was my way of thanking many friends and acquaintances with whom I have had such great times, from university days, to skiing parties in Les Carroz and various other resorts in France, Austria and Switzerland, to on-stage improvisation sessions. I should be 70 more often, but on time next time! More on my YouTube channel: @martinoneill968.
11, 14, 16 and 18 April 2024, le Motet, Messiaen, Saint François d’Assise, Grand Théâtre de Genève
Messiaen calls for a chorus of 150. Le Motet joined the choeur fixe and other independent choristers to form a body of 100. It was a great privilege to work with Mark Biggins as choirmaster, not to mention being under the baton of Jonathan Nott for the performances with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, whose numbers rose to 100. The orchestra was too big for the pit, so appeared onstage behind the action on stage, screened by a curtain. The choir was behind the orchestra, which is an indication of the enormous backstage area in this theatre. The choir was some 40 m away from the conductor, but we were able to follow, when seated, his image on TV screens. I noted that the stage manager called for the presence onstage of les musiciens de l’orchestre et les artistes du choeur …
An amazing experience
24 March 2024, Orchestre de l’Ecolint, Spring concert, Centre des Arts, La Grande Boissière, Genève
The concert was directed by John Aram and featured Ecolint Music Competition winners Sasha Krieger-Rees on violin and Andrea D’Ambrosio on cello; the programme included An American in Paris by Gershwin, and Mars and Jupiter from the Planets’ suite by Holst.
Moments musicaux featuring songs performed at the concert of 27 January 2024 follow.
4 February 2024, Thé dansant Ste Véronique, Casino de Montbenon, Lausanne
18 December 2023. RTS Coeur à Coeur, quai de Mont Blanc, Geneva.
Public performance of three songs and then meeting the challenge of finding 70 singers to sing “Jingle Bells.”
7 December 2023, Antenne Repas de Noël, Rue Jean-Dassier 11, Geneva.
28 November 2023, Urgence Disk, l’Usine, Geneva.
28 January 2024, Les Genevoix, Voyages, Eglise Villamont, Lausanne
27 January 2024, Les Genevoix, Voyages, Collège Voltaire, Geneva
Hawaiian shirts were a feature of the costumes for this concert along with floral necklaces and white Genevoix polo shirts for the second half. Katie arranged Genève ou bien for the chorale accompanied by a trio of flute (Takuya Ono) and two clarinets (Nikolai Denisov and I)
17 December 2023, Joint carol service of the English-speaking churches, St François, Lausanne
Annual service conducted by Richard Walker amidst the Christmas market.
3 December 2023, le Motet (with Ensemble Vocal Evohé), Inspirations folkloriques (works by Kodály, Dvořák, Bartók, Ligeti), St-François, Lausanne
19 November 2023, Orchestre de l’Ecolint, Big band concert, Centre des Arts, La Grande Boissière, Genève
The Ecolint Orchestra includes students, parents and staff members.
The autumn concert featured songs from rock and pop legends such as Queen, Adele, Beyoncé, and Led Zeppelin.
The concert was conducted by John Aram.
7-8 September 2023, Baby wants candy! musical comedy improvisation workshop, Pavillon Bleu, Les Grottes, Geneva
Adrien Pellerin led the activities.
8 July 2023, le Motet, Beethoven choral symphony, Port d’Yvoire
The Budapest Sound Collective was joined by the Lausanne University Choir and le Motet de Genève, with soloists: Khrystyna Babchuk, soprano; Margharyta Bilokiz, mezzo-soprano; Denzil Delaere, tenor; Ádám Horváth, basse-baritone; under the baton of Gergely Dubóczky.
After lunch with several Genevoix audience members, Alessandro kindly gave me a lift home in his boat!
24 June 2023, le Motet, Brahms part songs (pianist Thomas Sevin), Fête de la musique, Temple de la Madeleine, Geneva
2 September 2023, Les Genevoix, Diva, Christchurch, Lausanne
Introduction to a new audience of the Genevoix programme of 3 June in Geneva.
Moments musicaux featuring songs performed at the concert of 3 June 2023 follow.
13 July 2023, UNAIDS conference, Palais des Nations, Geneva
23 June 2023, Fête de la Musique, Place neuve, Geneva
Ben Lewis performed a solo for the chorale on Respect.
12-18 June 2023, Various Voices choir festival, Bologna
15 juin 2023, 14:05, Auditorium Manzoni
15 juin 2023, 20:30, DumBO Binario Centrale
17 juin 2023, 11:00 Flashmob, Via Ugo Bassi – Non, je ne regrette rien proved popular during our handover to a choir from Toulouse.
To widen the language mix and to salute our Italian hosts, the chorale offered Far l’amore.
10 June 2023, Pride, Parc des Bastions, Geneva
9 June 2023, Genevoix interview, World Radio Switzerland, Meyrin, Geneva
Chair of les Genevoix, Lance Thompson, and I (as Secretary) had the chance to be interviewed by the lovely Katt Cullen to discuss recent and upcoming performances.
3 June 2023, Les Genevoix, Diva, Collège Voltaire, Geneva
There were no diva solos, but this concert could never be diva free! New additions to the repertoire included Laissez-moi danser, Vogue, Résiste and Desenchantée to accompany reprises of songs from previous offerings such as True colors and Believe! I was very pleased to play accompaniment to Tout oublier on the clarinet with Takuya Ono on flute during this concert. Les Genevoix were able to retain the services of a professional videographer (Jett Silva, Eiger Visuals) to record some numbers for the main concert and associated spin-offs for the Youtube channel.
28 April 2023, le Motet, Schubert: Mass No. 6 in E flat; Intende voci, Victoria Hall, Genève
26 March 2023, Orchestre de l’Ecolint, Spring concert, Centre des Arts, La Grande Boissière, Genève
This concert, under the direction of John Aram. featured the winners of the Ecolint Competition, Kaito Schremmer on violin and Lucas Chiche on piano. The orchestral programme included An American in Paris, Star Wars suite, El amor brujo, Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2, and the first movement of Dvorak’s New world symphony.
Moments musicaux featuring songs performed at the concert of 10 December 2022 follow.
18 March 2023, 8th anniversary, Nathan Café, Geneva
25 January 2023. Dialogai Cocktail Rentrée, Salle du Terreau, r des Terreaux du Temple, Geneva
8 December 2022, dîner de noël de l’association Antenne LGBT. Maison de Paroisse, r Jean-Dassier, Geneva
3 December 2022, 40 ans de Dialogai, Le Palladium, Geneva
3 December 2022, Bowie remise de prix, Théâtre Les Salons, Geneva
31 October 2022, Bowie finissage, Pont de la Machine, Geneva
10 December 2022, Les Genevoix, Post tenebras lux, Collège Voltaire, Geneva
A distinctive feature of early Genevoix programmes was numbers from musicals. The theme of darkness followed by light enabled the chorale to feature “Do you hear the people sing?” from Les misérables and “This is me” from The greatest showman.
27 November 2022, Joint carol service of the English-speaking churches, St François, Lausanne
Annual service conducted by Richard Walker amidst the Christmas market.
15 November 2022, le Motet, Honegger, Danse des morts, Fauré, Requiem (large orchestra version), Victoria Hall, Genève
Narrator Lambert Wilson joined the Motet for a rarely given performance of the Honegger — great fun! A pedal on the organ became stuck at the end of one movement in the Fauré, which held up the start of the next. These things happen …
13 November 2022, Orchestre de l’Ecolint, Big band concert, Centre des Arts, La Grande Boissière, Genève
There were more than 80 musicians on stage, including the rock band from La Châtaigneraie campus and singers from the ENCORE Performing Arts Academy, in a joint performance with the Jazz Big Band. The programme included Let me entertain you, My girl, Summertime and the premipre of the Ecolint-commissioned piece Honey Bee, written by Jason Rebello.
Soloists included Eunice Lynch and David Duffy. The concert was conducted by John Aram.
8 October 2022, improvised Egyptologist murder mystery, Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva
A rapidly organized participation involving discussion with the audience about my motivations in the drama. This was my first and only foray into long-form improvisation.
15 September 2022, new clarinet tutor, Julien Cellich, Servette or Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva
Guidance on the ABRSM grade 8 set pieces.
13 September 2022, new vocal coach, Marina Lodygensky, Champel, Geneva
Guidance on opera arias.
14 July 2022, le Motet, Beethoven, Missa solemnis, Théâtre antique, Orange
A total of 250 choristers, made up of choirs from Paris, Lausanne and Geneva, gathered for several days of rehearsals and the performance. Since it was Bastille day, we also sang the Marseillaise.
Moments musicaux featuring songs performed at the concert of 11 June 2022 follow.
27 August 2022, Dialogai Garden Party, Jardin Botanique, Geneva
25 June 2022, Pride, Main stage, Bulle
22 juin 2022, Bowie vernissage, Gallérie Ice Bergue, Geneva
11 June 2022, Les Genevoix, I love you, moi non plus concert, Collège Voltaire, Geneva
Choice of the theme was Love – well, that seriously limited the choice of songs!
A characteristic of this show was “small group numbers”, prepared by choristers themselves. Founding chair Josh Goldsmith led “Seasons of love” from Rent, in which I participated. I also had a cameo in “Baby One More Time” (Britney Spears), as a walk on part looking for a companion.
2 June 2022, ABRSM grade 7 clarinet, Ecolint – Nations
I passed, with merit, accompanied by Andrea Amanti. Many thanks to tutor, Marius Filip! Set pieces were the Schumann Romance No.1: Ravel Pièce en forme de habañera and Backhofen Allegro con spirito.
7 May 2022, le Motet, Brahms and Mendelssohn part songs (pianist Christian Chamorel), Conservatoire de Genève
2 April 2022, Chelsea Tractor makes her debut at the retreat of les Genevoix, Côté Lac, Evian
Nobody loves a fairy when she’s 40! The world has waited too long. Who knows when Chelsea will tread the boards once again? With thanks to Pilar Diaz-Quesada for coaching.
20 February 2022, Concert vocal a capella du Motet et Evohé, Temple de Chavannes, Renens
Following the last-minute cancellation of the Vaughan Williams concert in December 2021, this event brought together, under the baton of Benoît Dubu, the Evohé choir and a limited number of members of the Motet.
Soloist: Augustine Simon (soprano)
* Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958): extraits de Hodie [This Day]
* Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621): Hodie Christus natus est
* Aurélien Hallopeau (1995-): O magnum mysterium
* Meinhard Ahnsohn (arr.) (1954-): Evening rise
* James E. Moore Jr. (arr.) (1951-): An Irish blessing
* Knut Nystedt (1915-2014): Immortal Bach
21-3 January 2022, SFEC weekend, Lausanne
Due to Covid, there were many last-minute reorganizations of the programme. We sang: the Fauré Requiem (organ version; in St François); Cantique de Jean Racine; and a work by Valentin Villard, Sur les pas de la lune, involving three choirs, under the baton of Nicolas Fink. I was the only chorister from le Motet to show up, but Romain Mayor came to the Chorale des jeunes suisses concert (very good technically).
19 December 2021, Blue Ebène concert de Noêl, Temple de la Madeleine, Geneva
Led by Stefano Cirrito.
12 December 2021, Joint carol service of the English-speaking churches, Christ Church, Lausanne
The annual service conducted by Richard Walker was live streamed due to the pandemic, with no audience members in church. Romain Mayor came along with his group of 8 singers and gave an excellent performance.
11 December 2021, Les Genevoix, A very queer Christmas concert, Collège Voltaire, Geneva
One of my responsibilities as secretary was to find a new rehearsal and performance venue. The État de Genéve very kindly made the assembly hall of the Collège Voltaire available to us free of charge from the beginning of October 2021, as the project had a high visibility within the local diversity and equalities programme.
COVID was still very much with us, and we lost our Father Christmas in the final days before the concert, meaning some last minute rewriting of the text links.
More excitement was provided by the fact that our musical director, Katie Johnson, as a teacher, was placed under quarantine at the last minute, meaning our chair, Josh Goldsmith stepped in to direct the chorale from the stage. Nevertheless, the 20 or so choristers on stage were heartily welcomed by an audience of 180 or so, drawn not only from Genève international, but also from the local population.
6 November 2021, Journée Suisse de la clarinette, Conservatoire, Lausanne
I had chance to study some modern techniques of producing harmonics and to play a clarinet of Mozart’s time.
1 December 2021 – Several numbers from the repertoire were reprised at a moment musical during the 25th annual dinner of Personnes vivant avec, celebrating those whose lives are touched by AIDS.
2 October 2021, Les Genevoix, We’re coming out! concert, Dialogai, Geneva
I was elected secretary of les Genevoix in September 2020.
The choir was soon subject to COVID lockdown restrictions. After several months of virtual rehearsals, we gave our very first concert at Dialogai. Some 10 of us entertained an invited audience of 50 or so.
I was happy to share some reflections on coming out and to perform the Rose as a solo.
Videos just before and running into lockdown kept us busy while there were no concerts.
February 2021, Les Genevoix, video 3: Libérée, délivrée (Let it go)
December 2020, Les Genevoix, video 2: Vive le vent!
September 2020, Les Genevoix, video 1: True colors.
26 March 2021, Blue Ebène concert de Pâques, Temple Montbrillant, Geneva
Led by Stefano Cirrito. This was recorded.
26 September 2020, Orchestre spontané, Musée d’Histoire Naturelle and the Festival Alternatiba Léman, Geneva
Conductors were Célia Cano and Mattia Bornatti.
The programme included
– excerpt from the Moldau of Smetana
– Nimrod from the Enigma variations of Elgar
– scene 10 (Act II) of Swan Lake of Tchaikovsky
I struggled with parts for clarinets in A and C, only having a B♭ instrument at that time!
There is a video on Facebook.
Singing tuition
To reactivate some performance skills, I have taken up singing lessons. Here are a few key dates and details.
4 September 2019 – Tuition started with Katie Johnson. One of the early priorities was to learn the score of the bass part of the Brahms Requiem, since le Motet was to rehearse the work over 6 weeks and there is a lot of choral work in it. I prepared for and was (nervously) successful in an addition on 1 October for inclusion in le Motet contingent.
The year 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of a production of Faust, where I was on stage with Susan Gorton, who later went on to sing with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Co. and was my sister’s singing teacher. (I was also on stage at secondary school in another production with Ian Curtis of Joy Division, but I digress.) The “don’t make it easy” principle then came into play, because I remembered Valentine’s aria and have been singing it for years in the shower and elsewhere. So, I thought it would be a good idea to try it. It was delivered in 1969 in English as “Even bravest heart may swell” in the translation of H.F. Chorley. There is a LOT more text in the French original, added to which the range is high for most baritones, but I persevere, nonetheless!
Other pieces we are working on include: Arthur Sullivan’s “Gone” (from Tennyson’s the Window or Songs of the wrens); “Le secret” of Gabriel Fauré; Shakespeare’s “O mistress mine” set again by Sullivan (are there signs of an obsession here?); and Cole Porter’s “Ev’ry time we say goodbye”.
Clarinet tuition
Following a long gap I took up the clarinet again in June 2018. Here are a few key dates and details.
18 September 2019 – Tuition started with Marius Filip at the International School (La Grande Boissière campus) in Geneva, which offers the opportunity to take the UK Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) grade 7 exam. The set pieces I am preparing are the Romance No. 1 by Schumann; the Pièce en forme de Habañera by Ravel, and an Allegro con spirito study by Backofen. There are LOTS of scales, arpeggios, dominant and diminished sevenths to learn, not to mention aural and sight-reading tests. I am glad to have made some progress with Marius, but there is still more work to do!
31 August 2019 – Former tutor, Stefano, and I participated in a scratch orchestra held in the grounds of the Belle-Idée Hospital. It was great fun playing Dvorak’s Danse slave and three arias from Mozart operas (at least those featuring clarinets).
22 May 2018 – I signed up with Stefano Cirrito, head of Musique Genève, to reacquaint myself with the instrument, using tutors such as Lefèvre and Langey, and playing ensembles at year-end and summer concerts with fellow students, Anja Bielfeld and Didier Sculati.
Concerts with Le Motet
Following an audition by Romain Mayor in August 2018 (singing the Sentry’s song from Iolanthe, a rarity on the continent!), I was accepted as a bass–baritone in Le Motet, a choir established in Geneva in 1926, and with a backlist of recordings with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (among others). The choir also recorded part of the soundtrack for Lord of the Rings.
Currently, the choir is preparing François d’Assise by Messaien. We will form part of the chorus at the Grand Théâtre.
There follow, most recent first, a few details of past concerts in which I have participated.
19 January 2020 – The Creation of Haydn. The choir did a flashmob performance, 7 January, of choruses in a local bookshop and at the main railway station as part of the promotion for this concert.
16 November (Geneva) and 10 November (Lausanne) 2019 – The chamber choir incarnation of Laudate Deum (with whom I formerly sang in the big choir), invited le Motet to join forces to perform the German Requiem of Brahms. My father died some weeks before these performances, which made the experience particularly poignant. This was a very successful collaboration and I was very glad to have the opportunity to work with Catherine Berney (LD choir mistress), Guillaume Berney (conductor) and my former colleagues again. Le Motet prepared the work in six weeks; no mean feat, since the chorus plays a very large role in this work. All Motet members wishing to perform were auditioned for this project. The programme was completed by the Alto Rhapsody by the same composer.
21 June 2019 – As part of Geneva’s Fête de la musique, Le Motet performed the Messe solennelle by Jean Langlais (late organist of Sainte-Clothilde, Paris) as well as a reprise of the Three songs of Claude Debussy from November 2018. It was great to introduce this programme to an audience discovering “classical” music – they applauded between movements (nothing wrong with that). The Cantique of Jean Racine by Fauré was given as an encore.
17 March 2019 – The first half of the concert was devoted to two works by Brahms – The Song of Destiny and Song of the Fates – and the rarely given Night Song of Schumann, during rehearsals for which I discovered I can reach a low E below the bass clef! The Schumann first symphony concluded the programme.
11 November 2018 – Le Motet performed a programme of French music for choir and in most cases piano, although the Three songs of Claude Debussy, settings of poems by Charles d’Orleans, were a capella.
Last concerts of Laudate Deum
21 March 2018 – Laudate Deum in its “big choir” incarnation gave its last concert in Lausanne. It was a great experience to première the Credo of James MacMillan in Switzerland and to sing the C minor Mass and Misericordias of Mozart.
Brahms and Mozart programme
14, 18, 21 November 2015 — Three concerts consisting of a programme of works by Brahms and the Mozart Requiem were held in the Victoria Hall, Geneva; the Cathedral, Lausanne; and the Grossmunster, Zurich. The Requiem was dedicated to those murdered in Paris on 13 November. Extra seating was added for Lausanne, with the audience exceeding 800. The Geneva audience numbered about 550.
The programme started with the Schicksalslied of Brahms, followed by the Alto Rhapsody, which earned several “Bravo!” responses in Geneva for soloist Annina Haug.
Laudate Deum is a choir I joined early in 2015, persuaded by a university contemporary who now lives in Lausanne. I have not sung in public for an extended period and was really moved when we started to rehearse with the orchestra — just fantastic!
Many choir members travelled to Zürich on a coach, an experience nearly as memorable as the concert itself! Again, it’s a while since I did that …
Owl and the pussycat
22 May 2015 — Long promised to certain former friends and colleagues, I recorded a version of the Owl and the pussycat and posted it on YouTube! I’m glad to say I had not a few positive responses and would like to thank all who took the trouble to contact me. I am planning to do a few more when I get the time!
Sponsorships
As someone who has spent a long time in the science, technology, and medicine publishing industry, I like to give a little in thanks for an eventful career to date. Here are a few projects I have been proud to endorse.
25 June 2015 — Director Andrea Walker achieved the company’s crowdfunding target today to take the show Smother to the Edinburgh, UK, Festival in August. I was happy to contact friends passionate about theatre to contribute a little and of course sent a small amount on my own account.
Sullivan’s Tempest and Macbeth incidental music recordings supported
27 Feb 2015 — The BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers conducted by John Andrews are in course of recording these items, and I have sent a small contribution to the Sir Arthur Sullivan Society to help cover costs.
The Tempest music was the first composition to bring Sullivan to public attention in 1861−2. Written as a graduation piece for the Leipzig Conservatory, the style follows that of Mendelssohn, composer of incidental music for A midsummer night’s dream. There is already a nearly complete recording made in 1955 by the Vienna Orchestral Society under F Charles Adler, but it is not widely available.
The Macbeth production of 1888 was by Henry Irving, who omitted all scenes not involving Macbeth or Lady Macbeth! The music has never been recorded in its entirety before, although the orchestral suite of 1889 and a couple of other items are available in a recording by the RTE Concert Orchestra under Andrew Penny. There are half a dozen or more recordings of the overture alone, widely considered to be one of Sullivan’s best.
Charities regularly supported
Macmillan Cancer Support. My sister, Helen, who first had breast cancer in 2006 and then a sarcoma, was greatly helped by nurses and counsellors funded by Macmillan Cancer Support. Helen has participated in ”patient experience” meetings and has collected for the charity outside Marks and Spencer, Macclesfield. She also featured in a 2008 leaflet and their 2009 Christmas catalogue. As someone living with breast cancer, she has also had press coverage in the Daily Mail.
Helen did a charity walk around Manchester for Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention. The Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Centre at the University Hospital of South Manchester is the first purpose-built centre of its kind in Europe and is home to a team of researchers whose aim is to tackle the problem of breast cancer through research into prevention, early diagnosis, and screening. It has the largest family history clinic in Europe for women with breast cancer in the family.
Krebsliga Schweiz: As my sister has had breast cancer in the UK, I like to support oncology research, even in Switzerland!
AIDS-Hilfe Schweiz: One small way in which I can help all those affected!
University of Sussex alumni
Sussex Fund: Sussex changed my life. This is one of the great innovative institutions in higher education, and I still support it.
Paving the way: I attended the 50th anniversary celebrations of the university in 2011, but I have not yet seen the “paver” that I sponsored!
Attenborough portrait. I trod the boards a few times at the Gardner Centre, now renamed after the ex-Chancellor.
Donations in memoriam
Asthma UK Terry Sharples 2012
Polycystic Kidney Research Fund, Prof. Harper, Bristol for John Gillman 2010
Brain Tumour Research Campaign Tara Dyson 2006
Tudor Morris Channel swim
I had the opportunity to meet Tudor briefly at the birthday party of a friend of mine in August 2014. The friend refused a gift, so I asked him to nominate a charity. He suggested Momentum, for whom Tudor was doing a sponsored swim. Here’s the background.
The video mentions September 2013, but the swim was postponed until July 2014 due to adverse temperature conditions.
Beauty Stone - First professional recording
I was glad to be a partial sponsor of the first professional recording of this work in early 2013.
Sir Arthur Sullivan was unlucky for several reasons. First, much of his work was written before recording was possible (although he did make a cylinder); second, he is not considered a musical innovator (i.e. very much of the 19th century rather than the 20th); and third, the works for which he is most widely remembered, namely the Savoy operas, were regarded as neither “classical” nor “popular”, but somewhere between the two.
Not all the Savoy operas were written with Gilbert. Following the break between the two men over the so called “carpet quarrel”, which was really due to Gilbert’s anger at Carte and Sullivan collaborating on the grand opera Ivanhoe with Julian Sturgis, Sullivan wrote stage works with a number of other authors. In 1898, Sullivan’s collaborators were Arthur Wing Pinero (of Trewlawny of the Wells fame) and Joseph Comyns Carr. The trouble was, Sullivan’s collaborators did not really adapt to the needs of a “romantic musical drama”, and refused to cut the text sufficiently to accommodate the music. The result was that the show went on too late into the evening and, for this and other reasons, folded after only 50 performances. The work was largely forgotten until this recording.
Sullivan’s striking use of modes (rather than keys) in this work is of note (see for example pp. 27–28), and the style differs greatly from the “rum-tee-tum” (to coin a phrase) of the works with Gilbert. So Sullivan was, in this regard, an innovator.
MARTIN S. O’NEILL
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