Bassoonery
Wednesday 27 November 2024
Last weekend, not all was doom and gloom about flooding. In view of the improving weather and river levels on Sunday morning, Hebden Bridge Parish Church decided to go ahead with Bassoonery – sounds that'll make earthworms wriggle.
David Buck on bassoon and the Kingsfold Ensemble made up of Owain Shaw (violin), Mark Singleton (violin), Alison Mordey (Viola) & Joyce Martin (cello)
This was a free family-friendly CultureDale event. The word went out to "Cheer yourself up with a bit of Bassoonery" and 29 people including 9 children did just that. Everyone managed to fit into the cosy St John's room to hear two half hour sessions of short pieces, with refreshments in the middle giving an opportunity to socialise.
Besides the obvious programme choice for bassoon of The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Dukas and Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King, David Buck introduced some of the other items in an entertaining way.
One composition was by David Martin, who was related to the cellist. Having heard the group play previously, he discovered a side to the bassoon which he had not realised existed and asked if he could write some pieces for them.
As for the earthworms, David told the story of Darwin, famous for On the Origin of Species, but who also researched earthworms and discovered how important they were for soil. While trying to find out if earthworms had ears, he discovered they only wriggled when his son played the bassoon. The exciting finale from Bizet's L'Arlesienne Suite left the organiser walking home with an "earworm".