Festival of Remembrance heads for Clun
A new music festival over the weekend of Remembrance Sunday will celebrate the music of the World War One era.
Inspired by the centenary commemorations, the inaugural Clun Valley Music Festival will have the theme of 'Voices from the Darkness' and feature music by composers of the time.
The festival runs from November 9 to November 11, with a string of performers spread across four concerts to be held at St George's Church, Clun, St Mary's Church, Hopesay, and Clun Memorial Hall. Concerts will be held each evening as well as Saturday afternoon.
The festival is presented by musicians Richard Tunnicliffe and his daughter Luba.
Richard said: "As we both grew up in Clun and attended Clun School, the beautiful church of St George's with its fine acoustic has been a formative part of our lives.
"We both feel that it is high time the Clun Valley, with its many beautiful churches, had its own festival."
Performers include baritone Giles Underwood, pianist Gretel Dowdeswell, the Auric String Quartet, folk musician John Kirkpatrick and the Handbell Ringers of St George’s C of E School, Clun.
Housman
The programme has a particular focus on the music of George Butterworth, who was killed at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, leaving behind a small but highly-regarded collection of works.
Among them is the song cycle A Shropshire Lad, setting poems by A E Housman, who was born in Bromsgrove and died in Cambridge but is buried in the churchyard of St Laurence’s, Ludlow.
Six songs from Butterworth’s cycle will be performed by Giles Underwood and Gretel Dowdeswell in the second concert of the festival.
"George Butterworth’s relatively few works seem to grow in stature as the years go by," said Richard.
"Alongside these, we present great works of the chamber music repertoire from both sides of the English Channel and, for our final concert, something rather different, reflecting Butterworth’s great interest in folk music."
Tickets, available from 01588 640162, are £12 per concert, or £10 each if attending three or more. Under 25s pay £5 per concert and under 16s pay £1. Go to clunvalleymusic.co.uk for full listings.
