Last night was the first performance of an embryonic new Hull Gamelan group. We have been practising tunes – especially written by Alec Roth for the Gamelan – to be performed for Laurence Rugg’s Musical Journey, part of this summer’s Amy Johnson Festival. At the end of another glorious sunny day, Laurence took us on an atmospheric journey interpreting Amy Johnson’s flight to Australia and reflecting her stops in Vienna, India and Indonesia with evocative music in three beautiful venues.
Starting the journey in Holy Trinity Church we heard the carillon bells before we were transported to Vienna for a selection of enchanting Viennese cabaret songs linked by snippets of Strauss on piano and bass. A walk along the road took us to St Mary’s Church, transformed into India with beautiful Indian decorations and an exciting dulcimer and tabla performance.
The final part of the journey took us to the the Guildhall where Alec Roth’s Kingston Bells welcomed the journeyers to the Banqueting Suite – representing Amy’s stop in Indonesia. The Gamelan group played a traditional piece – Kotek – and Alec Roth’s contemporary pieces, Kingston Bells for Gamelan, and Bubaran Hull – with improvised interludes between each piece.
What a lovely evening of eclectic music in beautiful settings. Rich took these photographs, click on an image to see the full picture and scroll along…
Gamelan group: Laurence Rugg, Lou Duffy-Howard, Gary Hammond, Alan Drever-Smith, Tallulah Vigars, Stephen Unsworth, James Rushworth.
Viennese Cabaret music – Lisa Featherstone voice and bass, Laurence Rugg, piano
Indian musicians – brothers on tabla and dulcimer
Rich and Lou Duffy-Howard – Visit our Home Page