CULTURE

The sound of Britain

The Second St. Petersburg Festival of British Music brings the works of less well-known British composers to the city.

By Galina Stolyarova

Staff Writer

Alexander Belenky / The St. Petersburg Times British Music Festival founder Rudi Eastwood pictured conducting a concert during the festival in 2007. This year’s festival kicks off on Sunday.

The Second St. Petersburg Festival of British Music that kicks off on Sunday at the State Academic Cappella will treat audiences to gems of British classical music spanning the past four centuries.

Aimed at showcasing British classical music in its diversity, the festival was launched in November 2007 by Rudi Eastwood, an aspiring British conductor and graduate of the U.K.’s prestigious Royal Academy of Music, who feels that British classical music remains a missing link in the repertoires of many Russian orchestras.

Running through Nov. 25, the festival juxtaposes some of the best-known names in British classical music, including Benjamin Britten, Edward Elgar and John Ireland with a special emphasis on the music of William Alwyn, one of the most prolific but less well-known British composers of the 20th century.

In total, this year’s event features works of nearly 20 British composers from different eras.

“We wanted to get as much variety as possible,” said Eastwood, who will take part in two performances, one as conductor and the other as a pianist.

“British music isn’t played often here in St. Petersburg and the music students at the conservatoire were keen to know more about British music.”

Alwyn (1905-1985) was a man of many talents — artist, musician, poet and polyglot. His composing legacy features five symponies, four operas, several concertos and string quartets as well as more than 70 film scores. The concert on Nov. 16 at the St. Petersburg Association for International Cooperation/Friendship House includes Alwyn’s Sonatina and Elgar’s Sonata with works by James Macmillan, Frank Bridge and Alan Rawsthorne also on the program. Alwyn’s work Mirages and his Concerto for flute and eight wind instruments will be featured at the festival’s closing performance on Nov. 25 at the Sheremetev Palace.

“Britain possesses an exceptionally rich musical heritage, which since the early masters of Tallis and Byrd has evolved into a unique sound-world, capable of portraying a character and landscape found nowhere else in the world,” Eastwood said.

Another composer to look out for in the festival’s program is Ralph Vaughan Williams, whose Tallis Fantasia and The Lark Ascending will be performed on Nov. 18 at the Glinka Philharmonic Hall. Born in 1872 in the Cotswold village of Down Ampney, at the turn of the 20th century the composer was one of the first modern musicians to travel around the countryside collecting folk songs and carols. The composer’s musical legacy is extremely varied as he tried his talented hand at many different genres with genuine success.

Alexander Belenky / The St. Petersburg Times Works by British composers such as Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Edward Elgar will be performed.

The festival’s organisers believe the project to be unique.

“Not only does the festival provide a much needed concert platform for young British musicians at the outset of their professional careers, but it will also introduce a Russian audience to British culture,” Eastwood said. “The festival exists to showcase the best of British music and we hope that it will eventually possess the capacity to attract music lovers from around the world.”

Before coming to Russia, Eastwood studied piano at the Royal Academy of Music in London. During this time he performed as a soloist and chamber musician at Wigmore Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields church and in various music festivals throughout Europe. But his professional interests shifted after an unfortunate injury.

“I turned to conducting after suffering an injury to my arm, which meant that I could no longer put in the hours of practice required for a concert pianist,” Eastwood recalls. “After the injury, I founded the Karelian Sinfonia, an orchestra comprised of students from the top music colleges in London.”

In 2006, Eastwood’s conducting studies brought him to St. Petersburg. The musician’s teachers at the respected Philharmonic Society include Pyotr Gribanov and Georgy Yerzhemsky.

Russian musicians have been very receptive to the idea of the festival, he said.

“They would be very keen to participate and play this new music,” Eastwood added.

The festival’s concerts will be held in some of St. Petersburg’s most prestigious venues, including the State Academic Capella, the Glazunov Hall of the State Conservatory, the Peter and Paul Lutheran Cathedral and the Sheremetev Palace. Orchestras performing at the festival include the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra and the State Capella Orchestra.

Joining them will be the St. Petersburg Chamber Choir under the baton of Nikolai Kornev.

www.britishmusicfest.co.uk

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