Before the Festival recedes, like it does every year, into pleasant and sustaining memory, I am trying to gather my own thoughts about how Web 2.0 might interact with the Festival in particular, and events (in Orkney and elsewhere) in general.
David Rendall, in a previous post commenting on Joyce McMillan's review of Mixter Maxter (and other events) in The Scotsman newspaper, humorously suggested that we might aim to configure the Festival as an alternate reality game (ARG): this is probably at an extreme end of at least one spectrum!
If you are reading this, and have some views, PLEASE comment here!
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There are 2 official Festival online manifestations:
1. http://www.stmagnusfestival.com/
The official SMF website
2. St Magnus Festival friends
The official SMF Facebook page
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This year 2 "unofficial" Web 2.0 channels sprang up, experimentally:
1. http://www.stmagnusfestival.blogspot.com/
This blog!! An unofficial outlet for news, gossip, reaction and pictures from the Festival.
2. http://twitter.com/stmagnus
An unofficial information and alert feed from the Festival, trying to bring together and make visible any and all mention of the Festival, and its participants, on twitter
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As in previous years, various artists and projects appearing in (or part of) the Festival have online presences. This year, notably:
1. http://rsnoatstmagnus.blogspot.com/
The travel diary of the RSNO's participation in the Festival
2. http://www.kgsorkney.co.uk/mixtermaxter, http://www.youtube.com/mixtermaxter
The blog and YouTube channel for the Transform Orkney: Mixter Maxter project,
led by The National Theatre of Scotland Learn (see also NTS's Facebook page)
in association with SMF, Kirkwall Grammar School, Determined to Succeed and Scottish Power Learning
supported by 9 charitable organisations in addition to
Orkney Islands Council, the Albert Hotel, Kirkwall, Clark Thomson Insurance Brokers, Lows Orkney, McAdie and Reeve, JEP Robertson & Son, WHB Sutherland and Tods of Orkney
3. Psappha
4. http://twitter.com/RSNO,
http://twitter.com/elspethmurray (of the Puppet State Theatre Co),
http://twitter.com/cubecheat (featured in the Moulin Rouge show)
Twitter feeds of festival companies and artists
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Saturday, 27 June 2009
Friday, 26 June 2009
The day that the Circus left town
Wednesday was finale night with the Orkney Camerata concert followed by Kathryn Tickell.
The Camerata are a group of talented local musicians, most of whom teach in some capacity, which perhaps explains why young Orcadian musicians are beginning to pop up all over the place in the national music scene. This was a lovely concert. The Bach was great, with soloists Elizabeth Way Sullivan and Christina Sargent. I particularly enjoyed the John Rutter piece which finished the concert, with a lovely lush sound to the strings.
Then to the Arts theatre where Kathryn Tickell's band brought the Festival proper to a close in rousing style. Great fun.
Meanwhile at the Festival Club 'the Chair' were going down a storm with their high-energy set as the last Oiseau Rouge show finished up to leave the tent free for votes of thanks and the announcement of next year's programme: headline Nicola Benedetti. I finally got home from the Spiegeltent wrap party at around 3am.
Yesterday was spent emptying the Spiegeltent and returning the stuff that we begged, borrowed, hired and salvaged to make it all happen.
Today Klessens took down the tent. I had to go back to work although the first hour was spent on the beach at Billia Croo for EMEC in t-shirt weather, so don't feel too sorry for me. I dropped by the site for a last visit around 3.30pm, just in time to see the last couple of frames come down and wish Tom Klessens a safe journey back to Belgium. That's it.... now, I need a holiday.
The Camerata are a group of talented local musicians, most of whom teach in some capacity, which perhaps explains why young Orcadian musicians are beginning to pop up all over the place in the national music scene. This was a lovely concert. The Bach was great, with soloists Elizabeth Way Sullivan and Christina Sargent. I particularly enjoyed the John Rutter piece which finished the concert, with a lovely lush sound to the strings.
Then to the Arts theatre where Kathryn Tickell's band brought the Festival proper to a close in rousing style. Great fun.
Meanwhile at the Festival Club 'the Chair' were going down a storm with their high-energy set as the last Oiseau Rouge show finished up to leave the tent free for votes of thanks and the announcement of next year's programme: headline Nicola Benedetti. I finally got home from the Spiegeltent wrap party at around 3am.
Yesterday was spent emptying the Spiegeltent and returning the stuff that we begged, borrowed, hired and salvaged to make it all happen.
Today Klessens took down the tent. I had to go back to work although the first hour was spent on the beach at Billia Croo for EMEC in t-shirt weather, so don't feel too sorry for me. I dropped by the site for a last visit around 3.30pm, just in time to see the last couple of frames come down and wish Tom Klessens a safe journey back to Belgium. That's it.... now, I need a holiday.
Thursday, 25 June 2009
SMF in the press and on the web #6
In contrast to the poorly-written critique from the Herald the other day, I found this review from Joyce Mcmillan for the Scotsman to be well-structured and written with some style. Although the author does fall into the Orkney = 'world according to George Mackay Brown' trap, the review of the Mixter Maxter installation is spot on, describing it as "one of the finest pieces of youth project artwork Scotland has ever produced". I particularly liked the following bit, which I don't necessarily agree with but is surely food for thought given the originality and artistic success of the multi-disciplinary high(ish) tech Mixter Maxter:
St Magnus needs to consign this sort of ageing crowd-pleaser to the bin; and strike out boldly into the newly-emerging borderlands between classical music and a dozen other art-forms less stuffy than mainstream poetry, and far less concerned about the old social hierarchy of art – from posh to popular – that the 21st century is scattering to the four winds, in Orkney as elsewhere
I can certainly agree with that last statement. Next festival as an ARG anyone...?
There are also a couple of reviews from Hi-Arts: a nice piece about Trio Medieval in the Cathedral which echoes the opinion of other people I've spoken to; and the Stromness Parish Church with Andrew Motion. Both reviews are well-written and manage to convey a more accurate sense of what Orkney is like, at least in my experience*: respectful of the place they live in, placing great value on local knowledge, but without all that mystical stuff about communing with nature and history.
* My experience: born and raised here. Went away for 20 years then came back.
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Super Tuesday
Three concerts today.
The lunchtime concerts at the Cathedral are often hidden gems of the Festival and much easier to get tickets for than in the evenings. This one featured Psappha and Kathryn Tickell with a varied programme from Mozart's Oboe Quartet, via a selection of pieces by György Kurtág to Max's 'Kettletoft Inn. The Quartet was only spoiled by a slight hiccup at the end, although no-one was hurt and it ended in smiles. The Kurtag pieces (which included works for Hungarian national instrument, the 125 string cimbalon) were very quiet and I wonder how they were heard further back in the Cathedral. Northumbrian piper, Kathryn Tickell played from her own repertoire before joining Psappha for Max's piece, composed for her. Very much in the vein of 'Orkney Wedding with Sunrise' thsi had a particularly lovely final section.
On the bus then to Birsay for Trio Medieval's folk concert, again with Terje Isungset. Sometimes the CD can sound very clinical because of the purity of their voices, but great warmth in live performance. I hadn't been to a Birsay concert before, but the excursion is completed with a picnic tea where we bumped into old friends from Norway.
Finally, having hung around Ivy Paige's establishment in the Spiegeltent all week I finally became a paying customer last night: the show has got tighter and tighter and Steve the Juggler no less funny as the week has gone on. Was given permission to take pictures so look out for (edited) highlights on Facebook.
UPDATED 7.25pm 26/06/09: St Magnus Composers' Course and Orkney Conducting Course Concert
[Updated: 1925 26 June 2009]
The last lunchtime Cathedral concert of this years Festival gave us Psappha performing brand new music for violin, viola, cello, double bass and percussion
from 7 composers under 8 conductors, including a collaborative theme and variations by all 7 composers!
All 8 pieces were composed during last 10 days, at the St Magnus Composers' Course, which was directed by Alasdair Nicolson & Sally Beamish, and included sessions with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. The composers worked with Psappha in developing and rehearsing these new pieces, and much of this process has been open to the public to observe.
Each piece was conducted by a participant in the Orkney Conducting Course, which was directed by Martyn Brabbins, with Charles Peebles. The participants had sessions (many of them open to the public) with the RSNO, Psappha, & the Festival Chorus, with guests the Huddersfield Choral Society, along with Orkney Conducting Course pianists, Liz Burleigh and Michael Bawtree.
[Added 0800 26 June 2009]
Composer and flautist, Gemma McGregor, attended many of the public sessions. Her review of Psaphha's performance of Max's The Lighthouse appears in this week's Orkney Today. After the St Magnus Composers' Concert, Gemma provided the programme notes below for the blog, and commented:
Concert Programme
(Notes from Gemma McGregor)
Robert Baker: Sharp Edges
Christian Baldini, conductor
An intriguing study of texture created through the use of extreme dynamics. The bass marimba notes and double bass slap pizz notes cut through the cleverly interlocking sustained arco string sounds – an effect that worked particularly well in the cathedral acoustic.
Kirsty Blackwood: Automatic Oomph!
Gordon Bragg, conductor
A programmatic depiction of cogs in a machine – was greatly aided by the rhythmic precision of her conductor and the fine tuning of the string players. Marimba tremolos were an exciting backdrop to the repetitive string riffs.
Gareth Peredur Churchill: Echni
Simon Crawford-Phillips, conductor
Created a very beautiful sound world of sul pont strings and bowed cymbals that gave a suggestion of fragile desolation, with the melancholic phrases from David Aspin’s expressive viola finally meeting the other strings in a unison agreement at the end only to fade to nothing.
Lewis Forbes: Auld
Roger Kalia, conductor
Displayed a strong affinity with his Scots tradition containing hints of pibroch grace notes and a suggestion of drones that maybe linked with the piping of himself and his father before him. Lewis used complex groupings and cross rhythms that propelled the players through the piece – fortunately his conductor was masterful in allowing it freedom but keeping it under control.. The clock chimes of the tutti crotales and marimba added to the impression that this piece was a meditation on the nature of tradition passing and what it leaves behind.
Edmund Hunt: The Bright Sun Will Blacken
David McCallum, conductor
Used forte glissandi in opposing directions to create a nervous energy that contrasted well with the violent sound of the unison Bartok pizz and the querulous drumming of fingers on the stringed instruments. Psappha journeyed through the tones in their choice sections led by an intuition that only comes from people who have played together for long enough to replace the consciousness of the self with that of the group. An apocalyptic finale was suggested by the Varese-like flourishes on crotales.
Michael LaCroix: Ecliptic
Hans Petter Maehle, conductor
Was systems music of the pulse-raising variety that was shockingly energetic in performance – thanks no doubt to the dedicated perfectionism of Psappha and the faster tempo chosen by the conductor. Tim Williams was inspiringly masterful in his improvised four part marimba solo.
James Stephenson: The North Road
Juan Ortuno, conductor
Had a very complex part for bass drum with extremes of dynamic markings that worked surprisingly well in the resonant acoustic of the cathedral. The string writing was lyrical and compelling with effective use of harmonics. The sound world of each player was personalized by giving each instrument their own particular timbre – the violin had the hysteria of being at the extreme high end of its range with phrases initiated by neurotic leaping grace notes, the viola was also high but sweet, the cello was warm in its mid-range bowed phrases (lusciously played by Jennifer Langridge), and the double bass was menacing with its low pizz notes and pp sustained harmonics. The combination of these sounds amounted to an unusual but effective ensemble sound that appeared to describe a mood of anticipatory fear combined with a determination to continue.
Ae Fond Kiss
For Alasdair's Birthday
Robert Tuohy, conductor
Theme: Ae Fond Kiss, Gareth Peredur Churchill
Var. 1: Dancing, Lewis Forbes
Var. 2: Melancholic, Michael LaCroix
Var. 3: Con Fuoco, James Stephenson
Var. 4: Still, Robert Baker
Var. 5: Elegant, Kirsty Blackwood
Var. 6: Vivo, Edumund Hunt
The last lunchtime Cathedral concert of this years Festival gave us Psappha performing brand new music for violin, viola, cello, double bass and percussion
from 7 composers under 8 conductors, including a collaborative theme and variations by all 7 composers!
All 8 pieces were composed during last 10 days, at the St Magnus Composers' Course, which was directed by Alasdair Nicolson & Sally Beamish, and included sessions with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. The composers worked with Psappha in developing and rehearsing these new pieces, and much of this process has been open to the public to observe.
Each piece was conducted by a participant in the Orkney Conducting Course, which was directed by Martyn Brabbins, with Charles Peebles. The participants had sessions (many of them open to the public) with the RSNO, Psappha, & the Festival Chorus, with guests the Huddersfield Choral Society, along with Orkney Conducting Course pianists, Liz Burleigh and Michael Bawtree.
[Added 0800 26 June 2009]
Composer and flautist, Gemma McGregor, attended many of the public sessions. Her review of Psaphha's performance of Max's The Lighthouse appears in this week's Orkney Today. After the St Magnus Composers' Concert, Gemma provided the programme notes below for the blog, and commented:
The honing of some pieces and the transformation of others through careful observation of the five musicians responses to the scores proved a challenging task that was ably accomplished by tutors, Alasdair Nicolson and Sally Beamish. The levels of expertise and experience varied greatly between the seven student composers but all were encouraged to focus on what they wanted to say with their piece and what would be the most effective way to dialogue with the musicians to bring about the sought after score and performance. “Psappha”, led by percussionist Tim Williams are an extremely accomplished group who were single minded and tireless in their devotion to creating this brand new music and assisting the composers with notation and techniques peculiar to their instruments. Workshops given by Tim Williams to describe cimbalom and James Crabb to describe button accordion were informative and well-received.
Concert Programme
(Notes from Gemma McGregor)
Robert Baker: Sharp Edges
Christian Baldini, conductor
An intriguing study of texture created through the use of extreme dynamics. The bass marimba notes and double bass slap pizz notes cut through the cleverly interlocking sustained arco string sounds – an effect that worked particularly well in the cathedral acoustic.
Kirsty Blackwood: Automatic Oomph!
Gordon Bragg, conductor
A programmatic depiction of cogs in a machine – was greatly aided by the rhythmic precision of her conductor and the fine tuning of the string players. Marimba tremolos were an exciting backdrop to the repetitive string riffs.
Gareth Peredur Churchill: Echni
Simon Crawford-Phillips, conductor
Created a very beautiful sound world of sul pont strings and bowed cymbals that gave a suggestion of fragile desolation, with the melancholic phrases from David Aspin’s expressive viola finally meeting the other strings in a unison agreement at the end only to fade to nothing.
Lewis Forbes: Auld
Roger Kalia, conductor
Displayed a strong affinity with his Scots tradition containing hints of pibroch grace notes and a suggestion of drones that maybe linked with the piping of himself and his father before him. Lewis used complex groupings and cross rhythms that propelled the players through the piece – fortunately his conductor was masterful in allowing it freedom but keeping it under control.. The clock chimes of the tutti crotales and marimba added to the impression that this piece was a meditation on the nature of tradition passing and what it leaves behind.
Edmund Hunt: The Bright Sun Will Blacken
David McCallum, conductor
Used forte glissandi in opposing directions to create a nervous energy that contrasted well with the violent sound of the unison Bartok pizz and the querulous drumming of fingers on the stringed instruments. Psappha journeyed through the tones in their choice sections led by an intuition that only comes from people who have played together for long enough to replace the consciousness of the self with that of the group. An apocalyptic finale was suggested by the Varese-like flourishes on crotales.
Michael LaCroix: Ecliptic
Hans Petter Maehle, conductor
Was systems music of the pulse-raising variety that was shockingly energetic in performance – thanks no doubt to the dedicated perfectionism of Psappha and the faster tempo chosen by the conductor. Tim Williams was inspiringly masterful in his improvised four part marimba solo.
James Stephenson: The North Road
Juan Ortuno, conductor
Had a very complex part for bass drum with extremes of dynamic markings that worked surprisingly well in the resonant acoustic of the cathedral. The string writing was lyrical and compelling with effective use of harmonics. The sound world of each player was personalized by giving each instrument their own particular timbre – the violin had the hysteria of being at the extreme high end of its range with phrases initiated by neurotic leaping grace notes, the viola was also high but sweet, the cello was warm in its mid-range bowed phrases (lusciously played by Jennifer Langridge), and the double bass was menacing with its low pizz notes and pp sustained harmonics. The combination of these sounds amounted to an unusual but effective ensemble sound that appeared to describe a mood of anticipatory fear combined with a determination to continue.
Ae Fond Kiss
For Alasdair's Birthday
Robert Tuohy, conductor
Theme: Ae Fond Kiss, Gareth Peredur Churchill
Var. 1: Dancing, Lewis Forbes
Var. 2: Melancholic, Michael LaCroix
Var. 3: Con Fuoco, James Stephenson
Var. 4: Still, Robert Baker
Var. 5: Elegant, Kirsty Blackwood
Var. 6: Vivo, Edumund Hunt
RSNO say farewell and thanks
The RSNO have posted a farewell video on their blog, expressing their thanks to SMF for a great trip. The series of videos have been very enjoyable, so thanks back at you RSNO. I must commend the presenter for her correct pronunciation of Sanday!
SMF in the press and on the web #5
A couple of reviews from the broadsheets have turned up in the newsfeeds today, both written by Rowena Smith. The Herald has an overview of the whole SMF, liking The Lighthouse and Andrew Motion, but not Jennifer Higdon or Wendy Cope (and personally speaking, I don't think you should describe someone else's writing as "doggerel" unless you're damn sure your own writing is up to scratch...) The Guardian has a short 4/5 review for The Lighthouse, praising the production but criticising the layout and the Pickaquoy Centre acoustic.
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Last Tango in Jewsons
Two concerts last night. Trio Mediaeval in the cathedral followed by the Tango Quintet in the tent.
CB is a big early music fan and we are both Norway fans, so when we heard TM on Radio 3 we got hold of a couple of their CD's: Stella Maris and Folk Songs: and they've been playing around the house, car and office ever since, so we were delighted to hear that they were coming to the Festival.
The cathedral concert featured their early music repertoire. Gorgeous transcendant tunes that soared in the vaults and, when they split up and moved around the building, seemed to vibrate and come at you from all directions at once. A surprise addition was their version of the medieval Hymn to St Magnus. I have heard it performed many ways and have even played Andy Cant's version for the Cathhedral Bells!) but I'm pretty sure that Magnus hasn't been better serenaded since he moved 'intae the toon fae Birsay'. We were given a taster in their encore of their folk repertoire with percussionist, Terje Isungset, on Jew's harp (is it still PC to call it that?). That's Tuesday's concert in Birsay.
From medieval Worcester to 20th century Buenos Aires for the music of Astor Piazzolla performed by James Crabb on accordian and members of Psappha in the Spiegeltent. It was hot, it was sultry, it was dangerous: it was like nothing I ever thought I'd be listening to in Jewson's Yard. A great contrast, which is what is wonderful about the Festival.
CB is a big early music fan and we are both Norway fans, so when we heard TM on Radio 3 we got hold of a couple of their CD's: Stella Maris and Folk Songs: and they've been playing around the house, car and office ever since, so we were delighted to hear that they were coming to the Festival.
The cathedral concert featured their early music repertoire. Gorgeous transcendant tunes that soared in the vaults and, when they split up and moved around the building, seemed to vibrate and come at you from all directions at once. A surprise addition was their version of the medieval Hymn to St Magnus. I have heard it performed many ways and have even played Andy Cant's version for the Cathhedral Bells!) but I'm pretty sure that Magnus hasn't been better serenaded since he moved 'intae the toon fae Birsay'. We were given a taster in their encore of their folk repertoire with percussionist, Terje Isungset, on Jew's harp (is it still PC to call it that?). That's Tuesday's concert in Birsay.
From medieval Worcester to 20th century Buenos Aires for the music of Astor Piazzolla performed by James Crabb on accordian and members of Psappha in the Spiegeltent. It was hot, it was sultry, it was dangerous: it was like nothing I ever thought I'd be listening to in Jewson's Yard. A great contrast, which is what is wonderful about the Festival.
SMF in the press and on the web #4
Couldn't resist linking to this story from the Independent - doubtless everyone's already heard elsewhere about PMD's plan to write a comic opera about MPs' expenses. It's also in the Times, Telegraph and Scotsman (the latter winning the prize for cheesiest headline).
Two new videos from RSNO: Absconding & Conducting, Camping with Katy. They also have a set of photos on Flickr.
Festival Visitors Tweet On - UPDATED
[UPDATE: 1730:] Links to reviews of Trio Mediaeval, and Andrew Motion Festival events by Morag McGill have appeared in HiARTS' twitterfeed :
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra keep twittering on, and regularly updating their RSNO at St Magnus blog (there is a quick link to there in the Links section on the home page of this blog now - thanks David!)
Elspeth Murray, (poet, and Tweeter in Residence at The Puppet State Theatre Co), has tweeted some impressions of Colin Currie's Phoenix concert on Monday night, as she waited with her colleagues to take The Man Who Planted Trees "tour without end" on to the next place!
To find all this (and the tweeting juggler, and the musician who played with Psappha for The Lighthouse, and others) follow @stmagnus #stmagfest on Twitter. If you are a twitter tweep yourself, tell us what you think, either there or on here!
[I just have to express my delight at last night's late Piazzolla Spiegeltent concert and the Festival Club last night! Both were fantastic! Bravo to the accordian, violin, bass, piano and guitar Tango Quintet, and also to Hadhirgaan and Saltfishforty!]
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra keep twittering on, and regularly updating their RSNO at St Magnus blog (there is a quick link to there in the Links section on the home page of this blog now - thanks David!)
Elspeth Murray, (poet, and Tweeter in Residence at The Puppet State Theatre Co), has tweeted some impressions of Colin Currie's Phoenix concert on Monday night, as she waited with her colleagues to take The Man Who Planted Trees "tour without end" on to the next place!
To find all this (and the tweeting juggler, and the musician who played with Psappha for The Lighthouse, and others) follow @stmagnus #stmagfest on Twitter. If you are a twitter tweep yourself, tell us what you think, either there or on here!
[I just have to express my delight at last night's late Piazzolla Spiegeltent concert and the Festival Club last night! Both were fantastic! Bravo to the accordian, violin, bass, piano and guitar Tango Quintet, and also to Hadhirgaan and Saltfishforty!]
Monday, 22 June 2009
"Rock Salt & Nails write Wimbledon song"
One of this year's Festival Club bands, Rock Salt & Nails, are in the news after announcing a new song about tennis player Andy Murray. See the links here for more info. Rumour has it the band will make an appearance on one of the Scottish TV news programmes later this week. The band were certainly a big hit at the Festival Club: although the Club was relatively quiet last night, the dancefloor was still full by the end of the night. (One of the dancers was my partner Snow, who thoroughly enjoyed the gig.)
Outside the Tent #2
Two big concerts in Picky over the weekend.
The RSNO, Huddersfield Chorus and our very own Festival Chorus were on Saturday night. Now as CB is in the chorus I'm not exactly an independent observer but Vaughn Williams' Sea Symphony with 200 voices and the might of a full orchestra was pretty spectacular. Behold the Sea...
Just as well to have all that refreshing water crashing about: it was like an oven in the Hall. I met someone who had just returned from a trip to Bangladesh and even he was finding it a bit much.
Sunday night's concert had a centrepiece of Jennifer Higdon's Percussion Concerto performed by Colin Currie. The RSNO had four percussionists playing alongside him and the percussion instruments took up the full width of the stage both front and back: the orchestra had to bring an extra van. Fascinating 'conversations' between the five percussionists. The overture from 'West Side Story' set the American theme and the 'New World Symphony' rounding it off.
The weekend reminded me why I got into concert-going in the first place: there is just nothing like a big orchestra in full swing. I remember (hopefully correctly) a 'Pops' concert in the old Phoenix where the opening was the theme from Star Wars. Memories also of Festivals in the late eighties when 'Festival weather' was sun from a clear blue sky.
The RSNO, Huddersfield Chorus and our very own Festival Chorus were on Saturday night. Now as CB is in the chorus I'm not exactly an independent observer but Vaughn Williams' Sea Symphony with 200 voices and the might of a full orchestra was pretty spectacular. Behold the Sea...
Just as well to have all that refreshing water crashing about: it was like an oven in the Hall. I met someone who had just returned from a trip to Bangladesh and even he was finding it a bit much.
Sunday night's concert had a centrepiece of Jennifer Higdon's Percussion Concerto performed by Colin Currie. The RSNO had four percussionists playing alongside him and the percussion instruments took up the full width of the stage both front and back: the orchestra had to bring an extra van. Fascinating 'conversations' between the five percussionists. The overture from 'West Side Story' set the American theme and the 'New World Symphony' rounding it off.
The weekend reminded me why I got into concert-going in the first place: there is just nothing like a big orchestra in full swing. I remember (hopefully correctly) a 'Pops' concert in the old Phoenix where the opening was the theme from Star Wars. Memories also of Festivals in the late eighties when 'Festival weather' was sun from a clear blue sky.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
SMF in the press and on the web #3
Orkney Today has a column about the Festival Chorus.
Here's a complete list of the posts so far at the RSNO blog:
I'm sure the SMF volunteers will be really pleased to hear the orchestra talking about how much they're looking forward to coming to Orkney.
Oiseau Rouge 2 & Mixter Maxter
Last night, Snow and I went to OR2 in the Spiegeltent. I can't really say too much without spoiling it for others, but I can say it was a very worthy sequel to OR1. I guess the differences were: more audience participiation - well done to local councillor Mike Drever (picked twice in a row!), Lord Wallace, Lisa and Owen, all of whom were excellent sports; the audience was a bit different too - with OR1 people had no idea what to expect, but this time they were more up for it I think; the humour was a *lot* more fruity than last time, so be warned! Snow and I laughed so much our sides were sore by the end.
There were two things which slightly dented my enjoyment. First was the drunken group of women near the front. They started off well, helping build a lively atmosphere, but gradually it descending into heckling of the kind which disrupts the flow of the performance. They were asked to leave. The second thing was more serious: the quality of beer on offer was very poor. For the kind of show this is, IMO people are going to expect a better choice than Tennents, Export or Budweiser. OTOH the prices were fairly reasonable and the bar staff were very nice.
So congratulations to the Magfest team. The tent looked brilliant, inside and out. The show was great. And it was warm!
After OR2 we went to the Festival Club to catch the end of Rock Salt and Nails. Not my cup of tea musically I have to admit, but I was firmly in the minority: the dance floor was full and people were shouting for encores by the end. Afterwards we entertained visitors until the early hours, so today was a late start ;)
We spent the afternoon at the Mixter Maxter exhibition in Garden Square. I was truly wowed by it. In particular the audio guide was very impressive, albeit I think it helped that I listened alongside my young cousin Connor and therefore saw the effect in part through a primary-school-kid's eyes. We were both genuinely spooked by the creepy story-telling (I hope they make a video of it and put it on the web). All the different parts of the exhibit were of a very high quality. When I think back to some of the "art installations" I've seen (both here in Orkney and during my many years in Glasgow & London), I can't remember seeing anything better. More than that, I think the techniques they used in the audio guide would be a brilliant way to engage kids at museums. Do not miss seeing this.
Inside the Tent #5
As already noted, being so far north the sun barely sets here on the solstice and thanks to the Festival and its tendency to stretch on into the wee small hours you can find yourself missing the hours of darkness altogether. Pictured: the beginnings of an amazing sunrise at 2.30am behind the spire of St Magnus with the less inspiring foreground of Junction Road.
No doubting what Ken Amer's picture scoop for Orkney Today will be: Lord Wallace of Tankerness on stage in the Burlesque show, Oiseau Rouge. He took to it so well that it does paint a rather worrying picture of life in the House of Lords...
St Magnus Festival Tweeting Visitors
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra have arrived (well we knew that after last night, and the Sea Symphony and all, but bear with me!). They have started the RSNO at St Magnus blog, with videos and everything! If I could properly work out how Blogger works, I would add a link here, in the Links section! [Link added. DR]
Elspeth Murray, Tweeter in Residence at The Puppet State Theatre Co, as they present "The Man Who Planted Trees", has found that Orkney *does* have some trees, and what partons are!
If you are in Orkney at the Festival, and if you are a twitter user, please follow @stmagnus, and use the tag #stmagfest to share your thoughts! If you are not in Orkney at the Festival, please do those 2 things anyway (and consider contacting the Festival Office at http:/www.stmagnusfestival.com to get on the mailing list or become a Supporter for next year
Elspeth Murray, Tweeter in Residence at The Puppet State Theatre Co, as they present "The Man Who Planted Trees", has found that Orkney *does* have some trees, and what partons are!
If you are in Orkney at the Festival, and if you are a twitter user, please follow @stmagnus, and use the tag #stmagfest to share your thoughts! If you are not in Orkney at the Festival, please do those 2 things anyway (and consider contacting the Festival Office at http:/www.stmagnusfestival.com to get on the mailing list or become a Supporter for next year
Orkney Wireless Museum on Radio 4's Broadcasting House
Interesting piece by Sandy Firth of Orkney Wireless Museum on Radio 4's Broadcasting House this morning as background to the national switch-over to digital radio, and the switch-off of FM broadcasting planned for a few years hence. Click here later on Sunday to listen again (it's about 40 minutes into the programme, immediately after the funny segment on humorously removing letters from Radio 4 programme titles, by newsreader and ukelele player Kathy Clugston).Look at the history of relatively-early adoption of technology in the Northern Isles - mains electricity, internal combustion, wireless (including CB radio), air-mail, telephones, broadband, and many more. Harbours, roads, airports, transmitters, cabling, interconnect the mainland with the islands, and are the things that tie us together as Scotland, and connect us with the other parts of Europe. Give us our share of national infrastructure (and appropriate legislation, licencing and regulation) and we will find a way to make new things work for the community, and to make a contribution for others to make of what they will. After all, where would Radio 3 be without the St Magnus Festival (hang on, is that the right way round?)? Where would the National Theatre of Scotland be without KGS and the other Orkney-resident components of its Mixter Maxter company? Where (literally) would the RSNO be without the roads, ferries, planes, piers and airports to get them here with their instruments? Where would Radio Scotland be without Tom Morton in Shetland? Where will Scotland safely and securely find it's energy in the future, except from the waves, tidal-flows and wind in Orkney and elsewhere?
If you have a few minutes between performances, make sure you visit the Orkney Wireless Museum, at the Shore St end of Junction Road (and also the Orkney Museum's "Captain E E Fresson: Pioneer Aviator" exhibition, at tankerness House, directly opposite the Cathedral).
If my rambling above does not provide a clear enough connection with the Festival, though, Paddy O'Connell said on air that our very own blog contributer, and Speigeltent-meister Les Burgher, suggested the story to them! Where does he find the time?
Saturday, 20 June 2009
RSNO have a blog dedicated to their SMF trip
You can see the first post here. Hopefully there will be more to come. They're also on Twitter.
Inside the Tent #4
Another day of sorting out glitches and improving the site: particularly the lighting. Although it doesn't really get dark at all here at the moment, it was still a bit too gloomy at the front of the tent coming out of the late show and we want to show off the artwork as well. That should all now be better. The heater had another problem: this time with an electrical fault, but all is now well. I predict that the weather will now warm up so that it isn't needed.
Today we've had two shows by the Puppet State Theatre Company: a beautiful (and beautifully told) story of a French shepherd (and dog) who set out to plant a forest.
The first show was gatecrashed by a cat which was quite happy until thunderous applause broke out and the cat left the tent just short of the speed of light.
Today we've had two shows by the Puppet State Theatre Company: a beautiful (and beautifully told) story of a French shepherd (and dog) who set out to plant a forest.
The first show was gatecrashed by a cat which was quite happy until thunderous applause broke out and the cat left the tent just short of the speed of light.
The Festival Club
The Festival Club is a crucial part of what makes SMF unique. At most other events, performers and audience alike head home afterwards. Not so at SMF: it's very difficult to get out of Orkney when the ferries and planes have all stopped for the night, so everyone is "trapped" here together till the morning! So most folk naturally gravitate to the Festival Club, a late-night folk/pop music session featuring a variety of (often local) bands in the Albert Hotel. The Club is frequently *very* busy, so much so that it can be difficult to get in the door! Getting in a round of drinks can be a serious challenge. But it's all worth it because the Club is an essential part of the atmosphere of SMF. Artists and punters intermingle, and the distinction between them gradually loses any significance as the drinking and dancing carry on into the evening.Last night's Club featured local band Liberty (see photo) who were very good indeed - not surprisingly given the pedigree of the local musicians involved. Tonight's band are the internationally-acclaimed Rock Salt and Nails from Shetland, described as a contemporary take on traditional Shetland music.
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