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.
Monteverdi - Vespers - St Bartholomew the Great, London
%PM, %Europe/London %b %2025, %RSt Bartholomew the Great, London’s oldest parish church, was a suitably ancient venue for a performance of Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610) on Wednesday 26 March 2025. The performance, directed by Rupert Gough, featured the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists and the excellent choir of Royal Holloway, University of London.
I realised, when the conductor placed the parts for Monteverdi’s 6-part Magnificat on the music stands, that I had actually played this setting (with instrumental doubling chosen by the conductor) before; this was a cue that prompted me to remember that I had actually played Monteverdi’s Vespers for this conductor once before, at London’s St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in 2016.
On this occasion I played third cornetto, using my usual 440Hz cornetto by John McCann. I also played an S-shaped alto cornetto with a brass key, on which I could play down to low F. This was very useful as I had to double a few low alto and high tenor parts. The alto instrument I played was made by Sam Goble, who was playing first cornetto. Nick Emerson (whom I had not met before) played second cornetto (and I’m sure it won’t be the last time we meet). Emily Saville, Martyn Sanderson and Andrew Lester played sackbuts, and Persephone Gibbs (violin), Sarah Moffat (violin), Joe Crouch (bass violin) and James Bramley (theorbo) comprised the string section.
Cornetto, London, MonteverdiI realised, when the conductor placed the parts for Monteverdi’s 6-part Magnificat on the music stands, that I had actually played this setting (with instrumental doubling chosen by the conductor) before; this was a cue that prompted me to remember that I had actually played Monteverdi’s Vespers for this conductor once before, at London’s St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in 2016.
On this occasion I played third cornetto, using my usual 440Hz cornetto by John McCann. I also played an S-shaped alto cornetto with a brass key, on which I could play down to low F. This was very useful as I had to double a few low alto and high tenor parts. The alto instrument I played was made by Sam Goble, who was playing first cornetto. Nick Emerson (whom I had not met before) played second cornetto (and I’m sure it won’t be the last time we meet). Emily Saville, Martyn Sanderson and Andrew Lester played sackbuts, and Persephone Gibbs (violin), Sarah Moffat (violin), Joe Crouch (bass violin) and James Bramley (theorbo) comprised the string section.
I absolutely love listening to this spellbinding music by Monteverdi; at times it felt like I had won a competition to sit within the surround sound of the ensemble, especially during Sonata Sancta Maria Ora Pro Nobis in which the third cornetto is not required (I am also not accustomed to sitting so close to the conductor)! This was a wonderful concert within a fairly busy week: I will be playing Bach’s Easter Oratorio (BWV 249) tomorrow at St Clement Danes, as well as Handel’s Saul later in the week, at Romsey Abbey.
