Conductor: Oliver Till

Leader: Tina Bowles

Programme:

• Jak Poore - The Forgotten Forest (premiere)

• Robert Schumann - Konzertstück for Four Horns in F

  • Horn Soloists: Tom Brett, Susie Hubbard, Julie Rooke, Simon Ashdown

• Brahms - Symphony No 1

London Medical Orchestra’s summer concert features music by two close friends, and a new work specially written for LMO. 

Brahms worked on his first symphony for over 20 years, inspired and confronted by Beethoven’s works in this genre. The result, essentially a journey from minor to major, from struggle to triumph, has become a firm favourite among both performers and audience.

Robert Schumann’s Konzertstück for Four Horns and orchestra exploited the new technical possibilities of the recently-developed valve horn and perhaps he asked himself: “Why have one soloist when you could have four?!”.  This performance is being dedicated to Mike Fage, a prominent horn player in the London amateur orchestra scene for many years and known well to many of the orchestra players, who passed away earlier this year.  This was one of his favourite pieces.

This concert is raising money for the Islington Bereavement Service provided by St Joseph's Hospice which serves East London and the City.

Recollections of Mike Fage

By Tina Bowles (leader)

Mike made an enormous contribution to the musical life of London. He gave me my first job as a leader straight out of college, and was a massive support in those early years. Some years later, when I was leader of LMO, we were short of horns for a concert so I conned him into helping us out and he stayed for many years. He even conducted the orchestra in one concert when the then conductor, Mike Axtell, phoned me to say he was in hospital having a heart attack, leaving me with only two days to find a conductor who had Strauss 2nd Horn Concerto in their repertoire. So I phoned Mike and he very calmly just went and got his scores out and steered us safely through.

We also once had a splendid session with Mike conducting the LMO horn section in the Konzertstück, and it's the memory of that occasion that we celebrate tonight.

Mike, we will miss you teremendously, and be assured many pint glasses will be raised in your honour.

Programme Notes

Jak Poore: The Forgotten Forest (World Premiere)

Jak Poore is a professional composer best known for his work in theatre. This piece is his gift to the LMO, where he plays as our regular percussionist (and occasional violinist).

Jak describes this piece as follows:
'The Forgotten Forest' was born from a recent journey through North Wales, where the land felt untouched - wild, sacred, and profoundly alive. Moved by the raw, unfiltered beauty of nature, this piece tries to capture the timless brilliance our small blue planet so generously offers. It is both a tribute to Earth's quiet magic - ancient, enduring, and ever-inspiring - but also a quiet lament for what is slowly fading. A reflection on what we still have, and what we stand to lose.

A short piece, lasting around eight minutes, this is music that, like many of the classic compositions, has been inspired by nature. The dance of nature is recalled in some surprising rhythmic elements that are brought to a close by the onward march of nature's despoilation.
 

Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856): Konzertstück For Four Horns in F Major, Op. 86

Robert Schumann's Konzertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra was composed in 1849 and given its premiere in Lepzig in 1850. It is not often played today, in part because of the difficulties in getting four horn soloists into a concert hall. Nevertheless, Schumann considered it one of his best pieces and gave the horns considerably more than hunting calls to play. In large part this was because of the technical possibilities of the valve horn, which was replacing the natural horn that had only a limited range.

At less than 20 minutes long, the Konzertstück (or concert piece) is a relatively short piece in three sections marked 'Lebhaft' (lively), 'Romanze Ziemlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend' (Romance moderately slow but not dragging) and 'Sehr Lebhaft' (very lively).
 

Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897): Symphony No 1, in c minor Op 68

Johannes Brahms published his first symphony in 1876, when it had its premiere in Vienna. At the age of 43, Brahms was by then a mature composer who had been working on this symphony since 1854. The key is in c minor, a significant choice, since this is also the key of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Like that symphony, Brahms' first symphony is dominated by contrasting moods of conflict and triumph. Indeed, when the symphony was first performed it was hailed in Vienna as Beethoven's tenth symphony; only to be later dismissed by critics in the United States as being nothing like Beethoven's musical dramas.

The first movement, 'un poco sostenuto - allegro - meno allegro', starts off with a slow section (un poco sostenuto) that leads on to a dramatic movement of titanic struggle that ends in a mood of soft melancholy. The second movment, 'andante sostenuto', shifts to the higher key of e minor, showing the orchestra moving towards calm and harmony. A delicate melody is played by a solo violin and horn to dispel the disturbing echoes of the first movement. But these return with the third movement, 'un poco allegretto e grazioso', in which the music develops in an agitated way. A trio section features a joyful melody played by the flute, oboe and bassoon, before the return of the earlier restless music.

A horn melody leads up to the finale that is notable for one of Brahms' most gorgeous melodies. This gradually overcomes the darker elements left over from the earlier movements, bringing the symphony to a thrilling conclusion.

Thanks to Jan Toporowski for our programme notes.

The Soloists

From left to right: Simon Ashdown, Julie Rooke, Susie Laker, Tom Brett

Tom Brett

Tom Brett has a very boring day job in computer software, but his lifelong passion is playing the French Horn, and he has spent the last few years joining and leaving orchestras in various European cities while relocating for work. On returning to the UK from Berlin in 2023, he was very happy to find a seat in the LMO horn section, and is also the curent principal horn of Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra in Reading.

Susie Laker

Susie began learning the French Horn at the age of seven and discovered she had a natural aptitude and enjoyment which developed throughout her time at school. She continued her musical studies at Birmingham Conservatoire with a scholarship, where she was taught by Simon DeSouza and Peter Dyson. During her time there, she played in a variety of ensembles, including the CBSO Youth Orchestra. She now works as a primary school teacher, alongside looking after her little boy, Sebby.

Julie Rooke

Julie joined the LMO in 2006 not long after moving to the UK and was warmly welcomed into the horn section by Mike Fage, in whose memory we play tonight. Nearly 20 years later, Julie still enjoys making music with others every Tuesday as a brilliant antidote to a hectic professional life as a social worker. She sends love to her family, Mark, Kira, Laura and her parents, here from Canada, who gifted her the horn she plays tonight nearly 30 years ago.

Simon Ashdown

Like many horn players, Simon took up the instrument at school without fully understanding what he was getting into - 22 feet of brass, four valves, and a continuing sense of mystery as to how it all works (and also when it doesn't). Simon has studied privately with Jonathan Lipton, retired 4th horn of the London Symphony Orchestra, for over 15 years. He also plays with the London Repertoire Orchestra, Phoenix Concert Band and sings tenor in the English Baroque Choir.

The Concert Charity

Islington Bereavement Service

The Islington Bereavement Service offers support for adults living in Islington and/or registered with a GP in Islington.

The service is for people who have experienced the death of a family member, relative or another important person in their life. Run by St Joseph's Hospice and a team of trained volunteersr, this service can offer practival, social and emotional bereavement support.

They can be reached via islingtonbereavement@stjh.org.uk

About St Joseph's Hospice:
Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of Charity, St Joseph's Hospice is one of the oldest and largest hospices in the UK. We provide high quality, specialist palliative care and support to people in our local community who have a life-limiting illness. All our services are free of charge, and accessible to our community, regardless of age, wealth, religion or race.

The Concert Players

Conductor: Oliver Till

First Violins

• Tina Bowles (Leader)
• Rachel Barbanel
• Aaliyah Booker
• Mary Dentschuk
• Ed Lowther
• Catherine Menon
• Steve Rowlinson
• Máire Sloman

• Nichola Blakey (Principal)
• Lucy Atherton
• Leila Boushehri
• Mark Bullard
• Susan Grayeff
• Calum Henderson
• Aytaç Mevlit
• Eve Naftalin
• Jak Poore
• Gerry Shortall
• Jan Toporowski
• Michiko Ward
• Bronwen Whitaker

• Geoffrey Irwin (Principal)
• Tom Boswell
• Nigel Franklin
• Rachel Gibson
• Winston Ho
• Alys Howells
• Jamie Masters
• Josephone Tsakok

• Josh Salter (Principal)
• Hilary Evans
• Libby Fogg
• Hannah Franklin
• Shirley Franklin
• Sopika Toumazi

• Darren Edwards
• Francois Moreau
• Jen Morgan

• Jerrina Eteen

• Graeme Scott
• Natalie Ryan

• Mit Lahiri
• Adrian Hall

• Lindsey Glen
• Ian Merryweather

• Rosalind Hedley-Miller
• Louise Johnston

• Sheila Wallace

• Simon Ashdown
• Catherine Baker
• Tom Brett
• Susie Hubbard
• Julie Rooke

• Glyn Jones
• Charlotte Webb

• William Barnes-McCallum
• Chris Dicken
• Rob Heath

• Stuart Delve

• Jak Poore