MELODYS OF EARTH & SKY – music inspired by the poetry of John Clare

A very special project comes to our Chamber Weekend featuring music and the poetry of John Clare with Ionel Manciu violin (left) – a 2021 Festival Young Artist (solo violin and as part of the Mithras Trio) – and chamber musician, Kate Romano clarinets, with music by Julian Philips and readings of Clare’s works by Jonathan Gunthorpe (the Festival’s Papageno in 2017’s production of The Magic Flute).

Alongside his poetry and writing, John Clare was also a fluent and accomplished musician. For Clare, music and words were closely entwined and he ‘pricked down’ hundreds of ‘pleasant tunes’ in books of fiddle music, beautifully and carefully notated in his own hand.  Composer Julian Philips has taken the 9 works that make up The John Clare Songbook as a spark for his own extraordinary inventiveness, admiration and deep empathy for Clare’s language and ideals.

The 9 pieces featured in this concert are all composed for clarinet (Bb, A, Eb and bass) and violin. They are playful, poignant, quirky, witty, uplifting, and heart-wrenching, drawing out staggeringly rich, varied textures and colours from just two instruments, with the music and extracts from Clare’s work intertwined throughout.

Running time: approx. 75 minutes

Sponsored by Nigel O’Mara