An Oxford Song Book - David Owen Norris & friends
24 October 2008, 8:00pm
David Owen Norris (Square Piano)
Amanda Pitt (soprano)
Mark Wilde (tenor)
Marta Gonsalves (flute)
Lisa Oberg, Aliye Cornish (violins)
Tim Smedley (cello)
Two world firsts from two Oxford Professors of Music, father and son:
In 1748, William Hayes (1708-1777) built the World’s First Concert Hall – the Holywell Music Room, still in use today.
In 1769, Philip Hayes (1738-1797) wrote the World’s First Piano Concerto.
In 1735, William published a book of songs. A copy in the Bodleian Library in Oxford has extra songs added in manuscript in Philip’s hand. This concert presents the first modern performances of songs from this unique book, along with the Piano Concerto.
Context for the performance will be enriched by a Guided Musical Walk around Oxford from 11 to 5, which audience members can join. This will include lunch at Keble and Evensong at New College, with music by the Hayses (Philip was organist there). The Walk will be undertaken in collaboration with the Parson Woodforde Society. Woodforde was a charming diarist, sometime Sub-Warden of New College, who knew both composers, was a subscriber to their Holywell Concerts, and took spinet lessons from Philip at the time our MS was copied. Extracts from Woodforde’s diary will be read at the concert. For further details, click here.Series
10 October 2008 | 9:00am