Programme
Folk Fantasia - Trad. arr Rowlands & Adams
The Platinum Suite - Aitken
Intermezzo - Bizet arr Adams
Solo Violin Sonata with Violoncello No.1 in G Major - Herschel
Five Bagatelles - Finzi
Intermezzo - Mascagni arr Adams
Windrush Reflections - Witter-Johnson
Folk Fantasia - Trad. arr Rowlands & Adams
The Platinum Suite - Aitken
Intermezzo - Bizet arr Adams
Solo Violin Sonata with Violoncello No.1 in G Major - Herschel
Five Bagatelles - Finzi
Intermezzo - Mascagni arr Adams
Windrush Reflections - Witter-Johnson
Folk Fantasia
Scarborough Fair & Suo Gân
Scarborough Fair is a traditional English ballad. The song lists a number of impossible tasks given to a former lover who lives in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, with refrains resembling "parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme" and "Then she'll be a true love of mine." It appears in Traditional Tunes by Frank Kidson published in 1891, who claims to have collected it from Whitby.
Suo Gân is a traditional Welsh lullaby written by an anonymous composer. It was first recorded in print around 1800 and the lyrics were notably captured by the Welsh folklorist Robert Bryan (1858–1920). The song's title simply means lullaby (suo = lull; cân = song).
The Platinum Suite - Seonaid Aitken
Constant
Comets
Celebration
Commissioned for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee - June 2022
Constant “Change has become a constant” - HM Queen Elizabeth II (2002 - Golden Jubilee speech to parliament) The longest reigning British Monarch for 70 years, The Queen has seen an incredible amount of social change. However, she has remained the one constant throughout the lives of our generation and this is musically signified by the recurring 7-crotchet ostinato in this first movement. Opening with sparkling harp and pizzicato strings as a nod to the Crown Jewels, the music is grounded in C major with an innocence to the opening melody denoting the young Elizabeth taking up her duties as head of state. As the piece unfolds, a stately chorale appears but is left hanging unfinished mirroring the next part of The Queen’s journey which is still to be written.
Comets Ice, metal, rock, dust. German astronomer Caroline Herschel moved to Observatory House in Slough in 1786 and was the first woman in England to have an official government position and to be paid for her work in astronomy. She was also the first woman to discover a comet which is the inspiration for this second movement. Syncopated rhythms, icy sul ponticello string effects and gritty bass clarinet sounds set the scene for the comet’s journey through space at its most intense phase. The vocalisation in the middle of the movement is a nod to Caroline’s brief career as a singer when she first moved to England (I imagine her singing to herself during her many long nights of stargazing) and the intensity subsides leaving a ‘tail’ of subdued thematic material.
Celebration Diaspora. A vibrant celebration of music inspired by the wide range of cultures - from the Commonwealth and beyond - present in the population of Slough. Drawing from Indian Classical music inflections, modes and drones, Pakistani devotional music and Polish folk music, this last movement of ‘The Platinum Suite’ has joy and rhythm at its heart. Tapping on instruments and clapping together projects community spirit with bright melodies and ringing strings bringing a feeling of jubilation.
Intermezzo from Carmen - Georges Bizet
Georges Bizet was a genuine musical prodigy, whose talent was early and widely recognized. He studied with the best teachers and composers in France, was perhaps the close equal of Liszt as a pianist, won the Prix de Rome, and composed perhaps the most popular opera of all time. And yet, his career was a checkered one, full of missteps, works that were never finished, works that were finished and not performed, betrayals and failures with the French operatic establishment, and an early death. He planned, started, or substantially worked on some thirty operas, but finished only about five, of which only two achieved success. His musical legacy was a story of lost manuscripts, poor or no scholarly attention, bad editions, and general neglect. Today, the public knows his work almost entirely through his immortal opera Carmen, and to a lesser degree, the opera The Pearl Fishers, as well as his orchestral suites of incidental music from the play, L’Arlésienne.
Bizet worked on Carmen during 1873-4, and its première took place at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in March of 1875. The orchestra complained about the difficulty of the score (“unplayable”); the singers said the orchestra was too loud; the women in the chorus resented having to smoke and fight on stage, and more. But the opera was a success, owing perhaps as much to its perceived scandalous nature as anything. Bizet died shortly afterwards after two heart attacks in May at the age of thirty-six.
The “Intermezzo,” the entr’acte to Act III, is delicate music, the tranquility of which is belied by the tragedy to come.
Solo Violin Sonata with Violoncello No.1 in G Major - William Herschel
i.Andantino
ii.Allegro
iii.Presto
William Herschel was a German-British astronomer and composer. Best known for his astronomical work, he frequently collaborated with his younger sister - singer and fellow astronomer Caroline Herschel. Born in the Electorate of Hanover, William Herschel followed his father into the military band of Hanover, before emigrating to Great Britain in 1757 at the age of nineteen. On 13 March 1781 while making observations he made note of a new object in the constellation of Gemini. This would, after several weeks of verification and consultation with other astronomers, be confirmed to be a new planet, eventually given the name of Uranus. This was the first planet to be discovered since antiquity, and Herschel became famous overnight. As a result of this discovery, George III appointed him Court Astronomer. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and grants were provided for the construction of new telescopes.
William lived, married & died in Slough, and was buried in St Laurence's Church, part of the Parish of Upton-cum-Chalvey.
In 1763, Herschel set out to write 12 Solo Violin Sonatas. Despite calling them "Solo Violin Sonatas" he writes a bass line for all of them, provoking discussion about if this is for cello accompaniment merely to frame the violin main picture, or if this means Basso Continuo with harpsichord. The first of many questions and places in this set where Herschel has left ambiguity with no definitive answer, but with logical arguments on both sides.
We've chosen to perform them with cello only, as in many places the bass line writing mirrors the violin, matches or answers motifs and, especially as you get to the later Sonatas, is idiomatic of string playing.
No.1 is the only Sonata where he chooses to put the slower movement first, for the rest of the set he sticks to the more traditional fast slow fast pattern.
Transcribed from the original manuscripts and engraved by Alex Voice of HerschelPress.co.uk, with kind permission of The Jean Gray Hargrove Music Library, University of California, Berkeley
Five Bagatelles op. 23 - Gerald Finzi
Prelude
Romance
Carol
Forlana
Fughetta
By the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Finzi believed Britain had no alternative but to fight the Nazi menace but he felt intensely frustrated at the prospect of looming war service which would interrupt his composing, just at a moment of new confidence for him. Nevertheless, in 1941 he grabbed the moment for a burst of composition before he was drafted to work in the Ministry of War Transport that July. Among works completed were three pieces for clarinet, using, according to Finzi, ‘20-year-old bits and pieces’, which he had been working on since 1938. Together with a fourth, completed in January 1942, they were given their first performance on 15 January 1943 by Pauline Juler accompanied by Howard Ferguson at one of the renowned National Gallery daily lunchtime concerts that did so much to hearten war-weary Londoners.
When published in July 1945 the Five Bagatelles rapidly became Finzi’s most popular work, the initial print run selling-out within a year. However, their success vexed Finzi – ‘they are only trifles’ – he complained, and ‘not worth much, but got better notices than my decent stuff’.
Finzi was attracted to the deep-hued sound of the clarinet and demonstrated in the Bagatelles a highly effective exploitation of the instrument, its range and colour.
The ‘Prelude’ (Allegro deciso) is the longest, showing the influence of Bach on Finzi, indeed it might be likened to a two-part invention. Its slower central section also features one of the composer’s melodic finger-prints, the interval of a falling minor 7th, creating that wistful quality so redolent of his music.
‘Romance’ (Andante tranquillo) has a peaceful, slightly other-wordly character, with a melodic line in which triplets are prominent and a song-like middle section.
The ‘Carol’ (Andante semplice) began life as ‘a little carol for Ursula Mary Howells’, composed in 1925 for the daughter of the composer Herbert Howells. It was a setting of a poem titled ‘Carol’ from the collection Severn and Somme by Ivor Gurney beginning ‘Winter now has bared the trees’. It lay dormant for over a decade until Finzi took the melody up again for this bagatelle. Marked by a simple, tender clarinet melody, in the final verse, the strings have embedded as a tiny refrain, the melodic phrase from the song heard at the words ‘Christus natus hodie!’
The fourth bagatelle 'Forlana' (Allegretto grazioso), tender & lilting music that seems worlds away from the lively Venetian folk dance which is the origin of the word.
The 'Fughetta' (Allegro vivace) is undoubtedly a lively finale. Full of Bachian conceits, it explores the full range of the clarinet in a devil-may-care exuberance.
Originally for Clarinet & Piano, this has been arranged for Clarinet and String Quartet by Christian Alexander (c.2000)
Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana - Pietro Mascagni
Mascagni had already had an operetta produced in Cremona and had been conducting opera for several seasons when he decided to enter a competition in 1888 for new one-act operas. He had seen Giovanni Verga's hit play Cavalleria rusticana (Country Chivalry) shortly after it had opened in 1884, and Mascagni now commissioned a libretto based on the play. This was completed in December 1888 and six months later Mascagni had his opera finished. One of 73 entries, it won the competition, and was first staged in Rome in May 1890.
Cavalleria Rusticana takes place on Easter Sunday in a Sicilian village. Turiddu, a young peasant, has seduced and then abandoned Santuzza in favor of Lola, who is married to Alfio. Santuzza pleads with Turiddu to return to her; when he spurns her, she tells Alfio about Turiddu and Lola.
At this point the village square is empty, and the drama moves to the orchestra with this Intermezzo, played with the curtain up. The tune is based on a hymn heard earlier from within the village church, and its setting here suggests the both the peace of country living and the intense individual feelings of the principals. It closes the Easter ceremony and foreshadows the coming tragedy.
Windrush Reflections - Ayanna Witter-Johnson
Mango Dreams
Motherland Calling
A New Land
My Grandparents emigrated to the UK from Jamaica in the late 1950s as part of the Windrush Generation. Invited by the British Government to rebuild a post-war Britain, their hard work and cultural influence has changed the face of Britain as we know it today. Their story is a part of my heritage, identity and of course the reason I was born in London to parents who were also born and raised in the Capital. My appreciation for the difficulties they faced and the opportunities they embraced are the backbone of the inspiration for this suite ‘Windrush Reflections’.
Each movement explores a different aspect of that turning point in their lives when they made the decision to journey across the Atlantic.
‘Mango Dreams’ is a playful ode to the youthful chapter of their lives in Jamaica before taking brave steps to embrace life in a new world. Calypso rhythms dance beneath folk-like melodies that pay homage to Jamaica’s folk ‘Mento Music’ traditions.
The second movement ‘Motherland Calling’ plays with colonial inspired melodies mixed with Caribbean rhythms between moments of ‘panic’ at what the future may hold in this new world.
The final movement ‘A New Land’ opens with an unsettling energy to reflect the harsh welcome they received between slowly creating a new life for themselves and eventually finding their feet and flourishing in this new land. The second half of this moment again finds a sense of play and eventually a recognition of their African heritage as they sink into the rhythm of the drums. It is possible to celebrate your roots and create a home away from home.
The Dionysus Ensemble
Violin 1: Robbie Gibbs
Violin 2: Richard Smith
Viola: Claire Newton
Cello: Léonie Adams
Clarinet: Sarah Thurlow
Harp: Deian Rowlands
Storytelling Music for Social Change
Music to inspire, provoke discussion, educate, illuminate
A virtuosic chamber ensemble with a string quartet at its core, The Dionysus Ensemble is equally at home on the concert platform, playing for events in both formal and informal settings, as well as providing music education projects.
In 2021 The Dionysus Ensemble received a Royal Philharmonic Society Award
In 2018 TDE was appointed the first ever professional musical ensemble to be officially attached to the Commonwealth – TDE are Ensemble In Association for accredited music organisation The Commonwealth Resounds.
As part of TDE’s Commonwealth work, the ensemble has delivered a Music for Social Change outreach project in The Solomon Islands & delivered an instrumental project bringing school children together as part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival.
TDE was honoured to be selected to play at the Commonwealth Day service in 2019 which was broadcast live internationally from Westminster Abbey by the BBC, after which, founder & Artistic Director Léonie Adams was presented to HM The Queen and senior members of the Royal Family & Government at the request of The Palace.
Since then TDE has been invited to perform at private events for the Royal Commonwealth Society and at Marlborough House for Secretary-General Patricia Scotland including for the inaugural Commonwealth Day Heads of State Banquet in 2020.
In 2020, The Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned TDE to create an online Commonwealth musical video with performers from each member nation coming together during the pandemic -
the United Commonwealth Covid Music Project,
which was followed in 2022 by a pan Commonwealth music video for the Platinum Jubilee -
New Every Morning
The Dionysus Ensemble was commissioned by the Mayor of London in 2021 as part of his
"Let's Do London" campaign, to provide a series of interactive PopUp performances
in central London mainline train stations.
From 2013-20, the string team from The Dionysus Ensemble ran three not for profit interactive children's concert series, & TDE has delivered many outreach projects, including on poetry & music with vulnerable teenagers in Slough, a climate change music project for Jesuit Missions in three of their UK schools & a workshop & performance project with children & community groups for HOMESlough as part of the
COP26 climate change summit.
In 2023, TDE became official partners with Slough Music Service.
TDE has also released world premiere recordings of "lost" music by William Herschel to critical acclaim.
Trio Sonatas as part of the bicentenary celebrations in 2022 for William Herschel
- featured in the StoryTrails app for Slough,
and Violin Sonatas with Violoncello in 2023.
TDE music has been broadcast on:
Europe: UK - BBC1, World Service, BBC Radio 3, Scala Radio, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Berkshire,
Ireland - RTÉ Lyric FM, Malta - NET TV, Switzerland - Radio Swiss
Pacific: Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, Fijian Broadcasting Corporation,
New Zealand - RNZ Concert, Australia - ABC Classic, Fine Music Sydney & 3MBS Fine Music
Africa: South Africa Broadcasting Corporation, Fine Music Radio & RSG Radio
Asia: India - WION TV, Bangladesh - News Bangla 24
Caribbean & Americas: Guyana - National Communications Network & Hot FM,
Caribbean Media Corporation
Seonaid Aitken
Seonaid Aitken is an award-winning violinist, vocalist, composer/orchestrator and BBC broadcaster from Fife, Scotland. Classically trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, Seonaid’s style takes influence from her disciplines of jazz, classical and folk music. Notable works have been commissioned by Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival ‘Chasing Sakura’ (2021), The Dionysus Ensemble ‘The Platinum Suite’ (2022), and violinist Fenella Humphreys ‘Variations on Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 in A minor: Gypsy Jazz’ (2022) which appeared on the 2023 BBC Music Magazine Premiere Recording Award-wining album Caprices (Rubicon Classics). Her composition ‘The Mad Piper’ (2008) was also recently recorded by Fenella Humphreys for Apple Music Classical.
Seonaid’s jazz compositions appear on recordings by her Scottish Jazz Award-winning Gypsy Jazz band Rose Room, and on her solo album ‘What Is This Thing Called Love?’. Her latest album ‘Chasing Sakura’ was long-listed for the Scottish Album of the Year Award in 2022 and the Seonaid Aitken Ensemble will perform this music at Ronnie Scott’s famous jazz club in London in June 2024.
Her orchestration work for composer Tim Phillips has featured in the Richard Curtis/BBC film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s ‘Esio Trot’ (starring Dame Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman), National Theatre of Scotland’s production ‘Dragon’, as well as other BBC, ITV and Starz TV series. Seonaid's arrangements have also been commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Celtic Connections, Capella String Quartet, Heidi Talbot and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers among many others.
Ayanna Witter-Johnson
Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, pianist and cellist. She seamlessly crosses the boundaries of classical, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B, to imprint her unique musical signature with her virtuosic tap, strum and bow with her cello, into her sound and vibe.
After graduating from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Manhattan School of Music, Ayanna participated in the London Symphony Orchestra's Panufnik Young Composers Scheme. Soon after, as Emerging Artist in Residence at London's Southbank Centre, Ayanna performed as a featured artist with Courtney Pine's Afropeans: Jazz Warriors. Later, whilst studying in the USA at New York's Manhattan School of Music, she became the only non-American to win 'Amateur Night Live at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NYC.
An acclaimed and celebrated performer, Ayanna has collaborated with many stellar artists, including Anoushka Shankar, Nitin Sawhney, Andrea Bocelli and Jools Holland. She has also toured extensively across the UK, Europe and the US.
As a composer, Ayanna has been commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Güerzenich Orchester, Ligeti Quartet, Kronos Quartet and The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company to name but a few. She was also selected as an arranger/orchestrator for the London Symphony Orchestra (Hugh Masekela, Belief) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Urban Classic).
A presenter on SCALA Radio, Ayanna recently received the Nordoff and Robbins Silver Clef Classical Award (2023) and is celebrating the release of her most recent EP titled ‘Colour War’.
Violin 1: Robbie Gibbs
Violin 2: Richard Smith
Viola: Claire Newton
Cello: Léonie Adams
Clarinet: Sarah Thurlow
Harp: Deian Rowlands
Storytelling Music for Social Change
Music to inspire, provoke discussion, educate, illuminate
A virtuosic chamber ensemble with a string quartet at its core, The Dionysus Ensemble is equally at home on the concert platform, playing for events in both formal and informal settings, as well as providing music education projects.
In 2021 The Dionysus Ensemble received a Royal Philharmonic Society Award
In 2018 TDE was appointed the first ever professional musical ensemble to be officially attached to the Commonwealth – TDE are Ensemble In Association for accredited music organisation The Commonwealth Resounds.
As part of TDE’s Commonwealth work, the ensemble has delivered a Music for Social Change outreach project in The Solomon Islands & delivered an instrumental project bringing school children together as part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival.
TDE was honoured to be selected to play at the Commonwealth Day service in 2019 which was broadcast live internationally from Westminster Abbey by the BBC, after which, founder & Artistic Director Léonie Adams was presented to HM The Queen and senior members of the Royal Family & Government at the request of The Palace.
Since then TDE has been invited to perform at private events for the Royal Commonwealth Society and at Marlborough House for Secretary-General Patricia Scotland including for the inaugural Commonwealth Day Heads of State Banquet in 2020.
In 2020, The Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned TDE to create an online Commonwealth musical video with performers from each member nation coming together during the pandemic -
the United Commonwealth Covid Music Project,
which was followed in 2022 by a pan Commonwealth music video for the Platinum Jubilee -
New Every Morning
The Dionysus Ensemble was commissioned by the Mayor of London in 2021 as part of his
"Let's Do London" campaign, to provide a series of interactive PopUp performances
in central London mainline train stations.
From 2013-20, the string team from The Dionysus Ensemble ran three not for profit interactive children's concert series, & TDE has delivered many outreach projects, including on poetry & music with vulnerable teenagers in Slough, a climate change music project for Jesuit Missions in three of their UK schools & a workshop & performance project with children & community groups for HOMESlough as part of the
COP26 climate change summit.
In 2023, TDE became official partners with Slough Music Service.
TDE has also released world premiere recordings of "lost" music by William Herschel to critical acclaim.
Trio Sonatas as part of the bicentenary celebrations in 2022 for William Herschel
- featured in the StoryTrails app for Slough,
and Violin Sonatas with Violoncello in 2023.
TDE music has been broadcast on:
Europe: UK - BBC1, World Service, BBC Radio 3, Scala Radio, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Berkshire,
Ireland - RTÉ Lyric FM, Malta - NET TV, Switzerland - Radio Swiss
Pacific: Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, Fijian Broadcasting Corporation,
New Zealand - RNZ Concert, Australia - ABC Classic, Fine Music Sydney & 3MBS Fine Music
Africa: South Africa Broadcasting Corporation, Fine Music Radio & RSG Radio
Asia: India - WION TV, Bangladesh - News Bangla 24
Caribbean & Americas: Guyana - National Communications Network & Hot FM,
Caribbean Media Corporation
Seonaid Aitken
Seonaid Aitken is an award-winning violinist, vocalist, composer/orchestrator and BBC broadcaster from Fife, Scotland. Classically trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, Seonaid’s style takes influence from her disciplines of jazz, classical and folk music. Notable works have been commissioned by Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival ‘Chasing Sakura’ (2021), The Dionysus Ensemble ‘The Platinum Suite’ (2022), and violinist Fenella Humphreys ‘Variations on Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 in A minor: Gypsy Jazz’ (2022) which appeared on the 2023 BBC Music Magazine Premiere Recording Award-wining album Caprices (Rubicon Classics). Her composition ‘The Mad Piper’ (2008) was also recently recorded by Fenella Humphreys for Apple Music Classical.
Seonaid’s jazz compositions appear on recordings by her Scottish Jazz Award-winning Gypsy Jazz band Rose Room, and on her solo album ‘What Is This Thing Called Love?’. Her latest album ‘Chasing Sakura’ was long-listed for the Scottish Album of the Year Award in 2022 and the Seonaid Aitken Ensemble will perform this music at Ronnie Scott’s famous jazz club in London in June 2024.
Her orchestration work for composer Tim Phillips has featured in the Richard Curtis/BBC film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s ‘Esio Trot’ (starring Dame Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman), National Theatre of Scotland’s production ‘Dragon’, as well as other BBC, ITV and Starz TV series. Seonaid's arrangements have also been commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Celtic Connections, Capella String Quartet, Heidi Talbot and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers among many others.
Ayanna Witter-Johnson
Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, pianist and cellist. She seamlessly crosses the boundaries of classical, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B, to imprint her unique musical signature with her virtuosic tap, strum and bow with her cello, into her sound and vibe.
After graduating from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Manhattan School of Music, Ayanna participated in the London Symphony Orchestra's Panufnik Young Composers Scheme. Soon after, as Emerging Artist in Residence at London's Southbank Centre, Ayanna performed as a featured artist with Courtney Pine's Afropeans: Jazz Warriors. Later, whilst studying in the USA at New York's Manhattan School of Music, she became the only non-American to win 'Amateur Night Live at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NYC.
An acclaimed and celebrated performer, Ayanna has collaborated with many stellar artists, including Anoushka Shankar, Nitin Sawhney, Andrea Bocelli and Jools Holland. She has also toured extensively across the UK, Europe and the US.
As a composer, Ayanna has been commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Güerzenich Orchester, Ligeti Quartet, Kronos Quartet and The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company to name but a few. She was also selected as an arranger/orchestrator for the London Symphony Orchestra (Hugh Masekela, Belief) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Urban Classic).
A presenter on SCALA Radio, Ayanna recently received the Nordoff and Robbins Silver Clef Classical Award (2023) and is celebrating the release of her most recent EP titled ‘Colour War’.
