Hearty song and fare for Christchurch audiences
university-of-canterbury
Tue May 18 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Hearty song and fare for Christchurch audiences
Tuesday, 18 May 2010, 4:02 pm
Press Release: University of Canterbury
Hearty song and fare for Christchurch audiences
Christchurch concert-goers are in for a feast of hearty food, music and verse from 19th century England during the University of Canterbury’s Platform arts festival.
Platform (20-30 May) will showcase all that the University has to offer in the arts – from opera, music recitals and art exhibitions to theatre, lectures and film.
On 23 May the Octagon Restaurant will be the setting for Hardy and Heartyness, a concert that will feature a range of lively entertainments performed while guests enjoy a delicious meal.
Carols from 19th century village churches will be sung by the University’s 113 Village Quire (Choir) while readings from works by English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy will be delivered by University Classics lecturer Associate Professor Robin Bond and former English lecturer, Helen Debenham.
Instrumental and folk songs will also be performed by Folkworks, a quintet of musicians led by School of Music lecturer Dr Roger Buckton. A special feature of the group is the musical instrument, the serpent, played by Michael Cwach.
“The serpent is an 18th and 19th century bass wind instrument in which the sound is produced by a mouthpiece like a brass instrument, yet it is fingered like a woodwind instrument,” said Dr Buckton.
“It is thought that this is the only one in New Zealand.”
Dr Buckton said the Quire will be performing carols in arrangements originating from the Hardy family manuscripts.
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“These carols are fine examples of West Gallery music as sung in villages throughout England, and possibly this is the first time that this style of choral performance has been heard in New Zealand.”
Dr Buckton said music from an array of British villages formed the aural culture that many settlers brought with them to New Zealand in the 19th century so guests will be treated to an insight into a part of New Zealand’s earliest European musical history.
“It will be an evening not to be missed.”
• Hardy and Heartyness, 6.30pm, 23 May, Octagon Restaurant, 124 Worcester St. Tickets $55 (includes dinner and performance) from Ticketek.
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