This was a very exciting, dynamic and unusual concert, part of the Live at Lunch series at the Concourse, devised and presented by internationally renowned flautist Jane Rutter.
The performance opened dramatically with a very unconventional version of the traditional balled The Minstrel Boy featuring a new arrangement by Jane Rutter. Rutter, wearing a heavily brocaded kimono like outfit with a gold outer layer over pink and green floral underlay, was superb on flute with Blak Douglas equally good on didgeridoo.
Rutter then went on to talk about how she has a great sense of belonging to the land and country and its songlines and how the flute and the didgeridoo are two of the world’s instruments.
We then heard La Primavera (Spring) for Solo Flute – from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, arranged by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rutter played the piece with crystal clarity and with a lush, bright tone.
Rutter then changed to her alto flute for Journey to the East by Sarah Hopkins, with arrangement by Rutter. This piece had a dark floating tone.
Syrinx by Debussy, with its complicated imagery featured another shimmering solo for Rutter, now back on her favourite gold flute.
The world premiere of Rutter’s Syrinx at the Water Hole, Karnak featured a duet for flute and didgeridoo .The didgeridoo rumbled and provided bass accompaniment for Rutter’s darting, gliding flute.
A very moving and poignant He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother ( Russel- Scott) segued in to Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending.
Douglas gave a short talk on the history of didgeridoos, how they were made and the various playing styles and songlines used .He then played a brolga dance.
Ross Edwards’ Ulpirra was a very fast, breathless, darting piece for flute performed by Rutter.
Rutter played the lyrical Sonate en Ut majeure by Devienne Esu & Kokpelli with a bright warm tone and some great flourishes.
Rutter played the emotive, longing Talk of Coming Home, her own composition based on Dvorak.
Vivaldi’s Winter (the 3rd Movement of his Four Seasons) featured a lovely duet with flute and didgeridoo and one could visualise skaters gliding across the ice.
Jane Rutter performed a passionate version of the classic Danny Boy (arrangement by Rutter).
The concert concluded with an exuberant rendition of the jig like Phil the Fluter’s Ball (arrangement by Rutter).
We all then departed for lunch with some music lovers taking the opportunity to purchase one of the CDs available.
Running time 75 minutes.
The concert Flute Spirits and The Seasons was at The Concourse as part of the Live at Lunch series at 12 pm on Wednesday 12th April 2017.
