2023 / 2024 Season

22 Sep 2023 (StDenys) MEETING CANCELLED!

Above meeting rescheduled to 17 Nov 2023

 6 Oct 2023 (Online)  Chamber music

With the assistance of YouTube, DIANA TIZZARD will present a selection of favourite movements from chamber works which you probably know but might have never actually seen being played.

20 Oct 2023 (StDenys) Recent releases

This talk by SRMS Vice Chairman CHRIS TOPLEY will be based on recently released recordings that have had favourable reviews in either the Gramophone or BBC Music Magazine.

 3 Nov 2023 (Online)  The Chairman's choice

Our late Chairman Emeritus Roy Gage, who died in August, was Chairman for over 25 years and made a significant contribution to the success of our society. As a tribute, the current SRMS Chairman, DAVID ANDERSON, plans to choose some music that he knows was dear to Roy's heart, in addition to other pieces he thinks Roy might have liked.

17 Nov 2023 (StDenys) When time stands still

Most music lovers experience the ‘tingles’, when a listening experience becomes momentarily physical. BBC Radio 3 producer and music journalist GRAEME KAY, who we welcome tonight for what is his first talk to our society, will bring together magical moments from several centuries of music, when time seems to stand still.

Above meeting rescheduled from 22 Sep 2023

24 Nov 2023 (StDenys) Heading north

The climate, landscapes, nature and legends of countries at latitudes above 60° North have been a great inspiration to their composers. This talk by Dr MARTIN GROSSEL will explore a selection of music by both well-known and unfamiliar composers from these regions inspired by, and giving insight into their environment and culture.

This talk was originally scheduled for May 2020 but had to be cancelled due to the Covid pandemic

 1 Dec 2023 Chilworth Afternoon Xmas party

Darleen and David Anderson welcome all members to a Christmas party at their home in Chilworth.

15 Dec 2023 (Online)  Music for Christmas

JILL MEAGER intends to pay lip service to the festive season which will be well upon us by mid-December, so she will present music for Christmas. However, absolutely no carols will find their way into this alternative programme, thus no community singing will be required!

11 Jan 2024 (StDenys - AFTERNOON) The Captain's Apprentice...

            ...the influence of folksong on British classical music in the early 20th century

There was a considerable upsurge of largely amateur folk song collecting in Britain at the end of the Victorian era, led by Cecil Sharpe. However, professional composers such as Vaughan Williams, Holst, Butterworth and the Australian, Percy Grainger, were influenced in different ways by this folk music. Tonight, SRMS Treasurer DAVID PEARCE will tell the story of this influence and particularly the result of VW’s visit to the fisher-folk of the North End of Kings Lynn in January 1905.

This is our first trial of an afternoon meeting at St Denys. It will run from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. If it proves
to be a success, we may move some other winter meetings at St Denys to a Thursday afternoon.

19 Jan 2024 (Online)  Classical blues

A light-hearted look at the cross fertilisation between jazz and classical music, presented by veteran jazz band leader, composer and pianist MIKE WESTBROOK, who was awarded an OBE in 1988. He is based in Devon and is an online member of our society.

 2 Feb 2024 (StDenys) Members' choice

During this meeting, attendees will be chosen at random to present their own choice of music. Everyone is therefore invited to bring along a selection of their favourite recordings. The items to be played should last no more than 15 minutes and a short introduction would be appreciated.

16 Feb 2024 (Online)  Yet more meanderings

SRMS Secretary ANN MATTHEWS is once again planning to wander through her CD collection and online sources, looking for pieces she thinks we would find interesting. She normally manages to unearth some unusual and unfamiliar items.

 1 Mar 2024 (StDenys) The Mighty Handful

In this presentation, SRMS President MICHAEL JAMESON introduces music by 'The Five', otherwise known as the 'Moguchaya Kuchka' or 'The Mighty Handful'. Under the guiding leadership of Mily Balakirev, this group of eminent St Petersburg composers (the others were Borodin, Cui, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Mussorgsky) collaborated to give Russian music a distinctive national voice and identity in the years 1856-70. This presentation surveys their output and rediscovers a host of now long-forgotten masterpieces in the process.

Please note that there will be a £1.00 surcharge per person for this meeting 

15 Mar 2024 (Online)  Dame Ethel Smyth

Guest speaker PETER AVIS's talk this year will focus on Ethel Smyth, who was an almost exact contemporary of Edward Elgar (whose music she did not care for). She was a prolific composer, an intrepid haranguer of conductors she thought ought to perform her works, a suffragette, and in her later years, when deafness had made music-making almost impossible, a prolific autobiographer.

22 Mar 2024 (StDenys) High definition - Part 9

In addition to SACD recordings and high-definition audio downloads, SRMS Chairman DAVID ANDERSON is always on the lookout for the best quality Blu-ray video recordings he can find. All videos will be displayed on a large screen using a digital projector.

 5 Apr 2024 (Online)  Topley's Assortments

Continuing a confectionery theme started in January 2023, SRMS Vice Chairman CHRIS TOPLEY will once again dip into his bag of tasty musical treats to entertain us this afternoon.

19 Apr 2024 (StDenys) A mish-mash of favourites

This will be PHILIPPA BAMBACH's second presentation to our society, but her first at St Denys. Philippa's knowledge of music is partly due to having played the flute in the City of Southampton orchestra. She then moved on to the bassoon, playing in a variety of orchestras. Tonight, her choice of music might include composers like Messiaen and Kurtag but also perhaps seasoned favourites like Dvořák and Poulenc.

 3 May 2024 (Online)  500 years of music at Christ Church, Oxford

Thomas Wolsey founded Cardinal College in Oxford in 1525. A key part of his establishment was a choir and an Informator Choristorum (i.e. a Director of Music). When, after Wolsey’s fall, Henry VIII took over the college, and shortly before his death re-founded it as Christ Church, this musical tradition was continued and has flourished to the present day. This talk by Dr MARTIN GROSSEL, a fellow of Christ Church for 50 years, will explore the music of some of the composers and performers who have been associated with the college and its choir throughout its existence.

17 May 2024 (StDenys) Members' choice

During this meeting, attendees will be chosen at random to present their own choice of music. Everyone is therefore invited to bring along a selection of their favourite recordings. The items to be played should last no more than 15 minutes and a short introduction would be appreciated.

31 May 2024 (Online)  Lost ballets

Many ballets have been lost to us – some just fell out of fashion, but many were lost due to war. BRIDGETT VANE's talk will look at these fascinating stories and what happened to the music, some of it specially commissioned.

 7 Jun 2024 (StDenys) More music from my early years

During JILL MEAGER's career, she studied, performed and taught an unbelievable amount of music, but the very first pieces that she was introduced to when she began studying are favourites that have stayed with her throughout the years. Jill shared some of these with us in October 2022 and will present some more of them this evening.

21 Jun 2024 (Online)  A tribute to Prof David Brown

David Brown was for many years SRMS President and his death nine years ago was a great loss as both an academic and a friend. His expertise in Russian music and particularly Tchaikovsky was known world-wide. A memorial event was held recently in the Turner Sims Concert Hall, so this is an ideal opportunity for SRMS Treasurer DAVID PEARCE to recall his great contribution to musicology and play some of the music that he loved.

 5 Jul 2024 (Online)  Annual General Meeting

All members are asked to make their best efforts to attend the AGM. Important decisions are made and votes taken which can fundamentally affect the future operation of the Society.