Music

Music update by Graeme Stevenson

The final concert in this year's University Evening series takes place on Thursday 2 May at 7.30 pm in the University Chaplaincy Centre. Edinburgh Barock was formed in 1987 by 3 professional musicians to perform 17th and 18th century chamber music on period instruments. The programme is a lively and colourful one with some Spanish touches. These include the enchanting but surprisingly neglected mandolin, shown off here in Domenico Scarlatti's "Flamenco" d minor sonata, one of his six original works for the instrument. Another rarity is the earliest known composition for unaccompanied cello - the florid Ricercare by Domenico Gabrielli. Also notable is the Violin Sonata by Fontana, thought to be the earliest example of printed violin music. Tickets are £6, £4 (concession) & £2, available from the box office or on the door.

The same week, the University Operatic and Musical Society will be putting on their annual show - Oklahoma! The show will go on from May 1st to 4th in the Bonar Hall. Oklahoma! is one of the most popular of all musicals and includes a script and songs that still sound fresh. Tickets are reasonably priced at £5 (£4 concessions on Wednesday and Thursday) and are available from Dan Harper on 01382 817534 or at dan@boyo.co.uk.

The lunchtime concert series continues throughout May and into June. On May 10th the University Bach Consort will be performing Handel's "My Heart is Inditing" and Bach's Cantata 67 "Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ". Marion Jordan, a final year architecture student, will be performing on 17 May while the final concert of this session on 7 June will be a chamber performance of Haydn's Symphony No. 104 "London".

The music society's year ended very successfully with two excellent performances at the beginning of March. The choir and orchestra concert in the Cathedral was a great success. The Courier's music critic said: "I cannot remember when the choir was in better voice … an account (of Mendelssohn 5) of such fervour and magnificence". He was similarly impressed with Big Band's concert in the Bonar Hall foyer: "The players, under their leader Tony Sellars, were as on the ball as ever… this was jazz as it's meant to be heard."

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