Preview of the 49th Little Missenden Festival

Many of the events are held in the Saxon cum Norman Church at Little Missenden and the programme of the opening event is so appropriate to this venue. The Binchois Consort will be performing acapella motets from the early renaissance in the first event on the evening of Friday, October 10 in the candlelit church
We have a complete contrast -On Being-Me! -on Saturday morning when Janet Davey and Richard Bemjafield hold a series of workshops with local schoolchildren.

These are exciting and great fun for all concerned - their popularity is indicted by the fact that this is the sixth year that Janet Davey has been in charge of this event.

This is is a celebratory year for Vaughan Williams, and also his wife Ursula who for many years was the Festival's Patron, and who died a year ago. Tony Palmer's new film O thou transcendent on the life of Vaughan Williams has received critical acclaim . It will be introduced by Tony Palmer. It lasts 2 hours with an interval of 40 minutes.

Later the sane afternoon Catherine Reynolds will be giving an Illustrated lecture on the Faces of Renaissance children. Portraits of Royal Children have played a major role in European History and this and much more will be examined in a lecture that starts at 5pm in the Village Hall. It will be an ideal introduction to the exhibition at the National Gallery that opens four days later.

A very full day is completed in the evening with a recital given by Gary Cooper. The programme is of late Beethoven music and a Liszt transcription, played on a piano of 1835. For anyone who heard Gary's recital last year, also on a contemporary piano, this recital is a Must!

On Sunday October 12 at 3pm in the church The Allegri String Quartet start their recital with Beethoven's Quartet in C sharp minor Op.131. Robert Simpson's quartets were frequently played some years ago but now have been neglected . The Allegri are playing the 2nd Quartet - this is an opportunity to re-aquaint ourselves with the work of this neglected composer..The last work is a Festival commission - Matthew Taylors sixth quartet which is receiving its first performance.

Matthew, who was a friend of Simpson, says that this work reflects on his"fascination in developing new structures from the older classical masters".

The Askew sisters perform Foot-stomping folk on Wednesday with what has been described as "infectious energy". Folk tunes on melodeon and fiddle from the collections of Playford and, of course, Vaughan Williams.

On Thursday we are treated to more serious Vaughan Williams with a programme titled Wenlock Edge. Nathan Vale tenor with Simon Crawford-Phillips perform "On Wenlock Edge" based on poems by Housman. The same poet has inspired the composers represented in the rest of this programme.

Ivor Gurney's "Songs of Ludlow and Terne" and Ian Venables' "Songs of Destiny and Sorrow". Before these two sets of songs the Sacconi String Quartet will perform Vaughan Williams String Quartet No.1, in G minor.
Rolf Hinds and Friends present on Friday 17th at 8pm in the Church a recital The end of time.

This is a celebration of the centenary of the birth of Olivier Messiaen whose "Quartet for the End of Time" is the principal work in a programme that includes compositions by Bartok, Ravel, George Benjamin and Rolf Hinds.
On Saturday at 10am and 11.30am in the Village Hall there are two workshops for children with the intriguing title Pond Life! This is given by Obassno who have enjoyed great success at the Wigmore Hall Chamber Chamber Tots series.

What a feast in the ten days... for more information go to the website
Brochures are available in libraries and many shops or you can contact the box office 01494 864 686 or email j.buston@btinternet.com