Weston Park Cello Music - Update, 7 July

08/Jul/2017

Yesterday, I had a wonderful time visiting Weston Park to look through the music collection again and to learn more about the cello pieces we will record. 

I took the opportunity to sort out the whole collection (just over 300 pieces in all) and was struck by the huge range of composers and styles of music dating from the late 17th to the mid 19th centuries, representing music making of 5 generations of the Bridgeman family. 

There is lots of Handel in the collection: collections of opera overtures, concerti grossi, song books, and (pictured below, bottom left), a later edition of his Op.1 instrumental sonatas.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The earliest work in the collection is a full set of parts for Purcell's Sonnata's of III Parts published in 1683. They are in mint condition (well, as mint as can be after 334 years!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although I had spent a considerable amount of time on previous visits examining the cello music, there were one or two things I hadn't quite got to the bottom of.  Why do many of the pieces have no composer's name? When were they written? Were they commissioned by the Bridgeman family? 

Pictured below is one of the solo cello sonatas in the collection. It's a lovely expressive work in late baroque style - we can't wait to return to Weston to record it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martin Perkins, July 7th 2017