Thursday 5 March 2009

Pepys and Boulton Remembered

I saw the excellent CBSO Baroque Ensemble play an Erasmus Darwin-themed concert in Lichfield Cathedral some years ago, and loved the way in which they combined intimate chamber pieces with well-chosen readings from and about Darwin. So it’s great to see them back on Sunday – this time at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham - presenting a Pepys Portrait. This comprises music by Purcell, Locke, Mattheis and Gottfried Finger, with excerpts from the great 17th-century diarist's work, plus some authentic small cakes, served to the audience on a first come, first served basis (see the CBSO's blog for further info).

But that’s not all. This year is Matthew Boulton’s Bicentenary and the man (pictured above) – often referred to as the ‘Father of Birmingham’ – has inspired another outing from the CBSO Baroque Ensemble: Hark! I hear Musick!, performed at Birmingham Cathedral on July 4th. Billed as ‘a light-hearted evening of music that Boulton is known to have enjoyed… interspersed with readings from some of Boulton’s letters’, it's the perfect opportunity to salute the great Brummie industrialist.

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2 comments:

Eliza Ward said...

Oh my gosh, I'm so jealous of you!! That Pepys concert sounds like it would be wonderful.

Mrs Woffington said...

I gather they will even be making the recipe available for the small cakes at the concert :)