The Medieval Manuscript the 'Chronicles of Mann and Sudreys' mentions various locations, including the Isle of Man, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and even places as far away as Norway and Brittany.
Russell Gilmour (trumpet) and David Kilgallon (organ) use melodies from these countries and they merge and fuse these ideas together with their own to create unique compositions for trumpet and organ. The idea behind their musical collaboration is to explore traditional music from these countries and to adapt the music, interpret it and explore it. Chronicles' musical format is slightly unusual in that it combines trumpet and organ - not the instruments you may initially associate with folk music - but it is an approach that has sparked a lot of interest.
Their limited edition EP "Prologue" is a sample of things to come, as the production of a full album is underway. The full album will be Chronicles' musical impression of the Isle of Man's influences and rich history - as documented in the Chronicles of Mann.
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writing on music, photography, travel and life as a freelance professional musician.
Bach - Christmas Oratorio - Oxford Bach Soloists - University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2026, %RI played third trumpet in Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248) at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford, on Saturday 3 January 2026. The performance, featuring cantatas I, II, and VI of the Christmas Oratorio, was given by Oxford Bach Soloists and conducted by Steven Grahl. The soloists were Mariana Rodrigues (soprano), Stephanie Franklin (alto), Nicholas Mulroy (tenor),
Bach - Christmas Oratorio - SJE Arts, Oxford & St James Piccadilly, London
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2025, %RI performed Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Oxford Bach Soloists at SJE Arts in Oxford on Friday 3 January 2025 and at St James Piccadilly in London on Saturday 4 January 2025. The performance, featuring parts I, IV, and VI of the Christmas Oratorio, was directed by Steven Grahl and featured the soloists Nick Pritchard (Evangelist), Emilia Bertolini (soprano), Stephanie Franklin (alto), Thomas
Handel - Messiah - Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2024, %RFollowing my return flight to the UK from Frankfurt (having performed at the Alte Oper yesterday), I travelled directly to Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford to play first trumpet in Handel’s Messiah. This performance, on Monday 9 December 2024, was directed by Peter Holder and featured Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Frideswide Voices, The Wolsey Ensemble, and the soloists Harriet Burns (soprano),
Bach - Christmas Oratorio - Deddington
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2024, %RAs storm Darragh raged across much of the UK, I performed Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Adderbury Ensemble and the Cherwell Choral Society at St Peter and St Pauls Church in Deddington, Oxfordshire. It was nice to return to this village one year after our performance of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s Magnificat last year.The performance, which took place on Saturday 7 December 2024, was directed
Bach - Wo soll ich fliehen hin [BWV 5] - New College, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2023, %RI played the Zugtrompete (a trumpet with a single slide) and a trumpet in low B-flat at A = 415 Hz for a performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Wo soll ich fliehen hin [BWV 5] with the Choir of New College, Oxford under their Director of Music, Robert Quinney. We performed the cantata as part of a Sunday service in New College Chapel, and the service also included readings in German and Lutheran
Bach - BWV 50, 130, 19, and 149 - Oxford Bach Soloists
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2023, %RI played third trumpet in Bach’s cantatas Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft [BWV 50], Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir [BWV 130], Es erhub sich ein Streit [BWV 19] and Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg [BWV 149] at New College in Oxford on Sunday 1st October 2023. These festive cantatas were composed between 1724 and 1729 for the Feast of the Archangel Michael. I performed exactly this programme
Bach - O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht - Taverner Consort and Players
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2023, %RI played cornetto (in 465 Hz) in Bach's motet O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht [BWV 118] for a recording with Andrew Parrott and the Taverner Consort and Players, which took place at SJE Arts in Oxford on Tuesday 9th May 2023. The recording will be released very soon to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this esteemed ensemble. Andrew Parrott & his incredible team, including 4 brilliant
Bach - Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten [BWV 59] and Erschallet, ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten! [BWV 172] - New College, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2022, %RI played first trumpet [BWV 59] and third trumpet [BWV 172] in two of the four Bach cantatas that the Oxford Bach Soloists, directed by Tom Hammond-Davies, performed on Sunday 8th May 2022 at New College, Oxford. The orchestra was led by violinist Conor Gricmanis. The programme featured:BWV 12 Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen BWV 44 Sie werden euch in den Bann tun BWV 59 Wer mich liebet, der wird mein
Bach - B Minor Mass - Oxford Town Hall
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2022, %RI performed Bach’s B Minor Mass at Oxford Town Hall on Saturday 23rd April 2022. The performance featured the Schola Cantorum of Oxford, directed by Steven Grahl, the orchestra Instruments of Time & Truth, and soloists: Robyn Allegra Parton, Lucy Cox, Martha McLorinan, Nick Pritchard and Roderick Williams. This delayed performance marked the 60th anniversary of the Schola Cantorum of Oxford.
Christ lag in Todesbanden, Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret & Easter Oratorio - New College, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2022, %RI returned to Oxford on Saturday 16th April 2022 to perform in the Oxford Bach Soloists’ Easter Festival at New College. I played the cornetto part in Christ lag in Todesbanden [BWV 4] and I played trumpet in Bach’s Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret [BWV 31] and the Easter Oratorio [BWV 249]. Tom Hammond-Davies directed the choir and orchestra. There were excellent vocal and instrumental features
Oxford Bach Soloists - 80th Birthday Celebration
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2022, %RI performed with the Oxford Bach Soloists for a concert in celebration of an 80th birthday. The performance took place at New College in Oxford on Friday 1st April 2022, and was directed by Tom Hammond-Davies. It featured the soprano soloists Mary Bevan and Joanne Lunn, and the bass soloist Alex Ashworth. The programme featured Mozart’s Exsultate, Jubilate (K. 165), Mozart’s Fate Presto O Cari
Bach - Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten [BWV 207] – New College, Oxford
%AM, %Europe/London %b %2022, %RI played first trumpet with Oxford Bach Soloists for their performance of Bach’s cantata Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten [BWV 207] at New College, Oxford, on Sunday 23rd January 2022. BWV 207 was the final piece in the concert, which also included Bach’s first Brandenburg Concerto [BWV 1046] and the cantata Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht! [BWV 52]. Each cantata featured recognisable
Mozart & Haydn - Instruments of Time & Truth - Keble College Chapel, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2021, %RFollowing an extraordinarily long run of consecutive work, in Croatia, London and Oxford, I returned to Oxford to record choral works by Mozart and Haydn under the baton of Paul Brough, with Instruments of Time & Truth and the excellent Choir of Keble College Oxford. Adrian Peacock was the producer. We recorded Mozart’s Missa in C major [K. 258] on Saturday 2nd October
Mozart - Vespers - Instruments of Time & Truth - SJE Arts, Oxford
%AM, %Europe/London %b %2021, %RI performed Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore [K. 339] at SJE Arts (St. John the Evangelist Church) on Iffley Rd in Oxford on Friday 1st October 2021. I last performed at SJE Arts in 2015. On this occasion I played with the Oxford-based orchestra, ‘Instruments of Time & Truth’. We played in the 11am concert, which was part of the Divine Office Festival, promoted by Martin Randall
Bach - Christ lag in Todes Banden - New College, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2021, %RAfter yesterday’s recording of Bach’s Easter Oratorio [BWV 249] and Der Himmel Lacht! Die Erde jubilieret [BWV 31], and last week’s recording of the B Minor Mass [BWV 232], I was invited back to Oxford to perform Christ lag in Todes Banden [BWV 4]. I play the Cornetto for a video recording at the chapel of New College, Oxford as part of Oxford Bach Soloists’ Easter festival. I played the Cornetto
Bach - Easter Oratorio & Der Himmel Lacht! Die Erde jubilieret - Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2021, %RFollowing last week’s B Minor Mass [BWV 232] video recording, I returned to Oxford to play first trumpet for another video recording with the Oxford Bach Soloists; this time we recorded Bach’s Easter Oratorio [BWV 249] and Der Himmel Lacht! Die Erde jubilieret [BWV 31], two of Bach’s exemplary works with trumpets. The recording took place on Friday 12th March 2021 at Christ Church Cathedral -
Bach - B Minor Mass - ‘Breaking the Silence’
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2021, %RIt has been three months since my last performance, which took place in York in December 2020. I am fortunate enough to have performed even this 'recently'; despite all adversity, just enough performing work has come my way to keep me physically and mentally agile as a trumpet player. I am also fortunate to be healthy, and physically unscathed by the coronavirus. Recent months seem to have passed by
Handel - Messiah - Worcester College, Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2018, %RI played first natural trumpet (with the excellent Will Russell on second) in Handel’s Messiah on Saturday 20th January 2018 in the ornate Chapel of Worcester College, Oxford. The performance was directed by Thomas Allery as part of the Epiphanytide Festival. It featured the magnificent Worcester College chapel choirs, the period instrument ensemble 1714* and soloists Rebecca Silverman (Soprano),
Bach - Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott (BWV 129) - Oxford Bach Soloists
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2017, %RSunday 10th September 2017 saw a performance of J. S. Bach's 'Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott' [BWV 129] as part of the Lutheran Vespers at St Michael at the North Gate in Oxford. Oxford Bach Soloists, directed by Tom Hammond-Davies, performed the cantata liturgically as part of this 4pm service. The church was full to capacity.
BWV 129 was written in 1724/5 for the Feast of the Trinity (possibly
Taverner Symposium - 'A Pursuit of Music' - Oxford
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2017, %RExactly a week after playing in Oxford with the Oxford Bach Soloists, I was back in the 'City of Dreaming Spires' for the Taverner Consort's Symposium, entitled 'A Pursuit of Music'. The talk took place at Oxford University's Faculty of Music and Bate Collection on Sunday 23rd of April 2017.
I had given a talk at the previous event (Taverner at 40 - April 2013) and it was remembered that I had shown