Amyas Ensemble

What a gem of an evening that was! Baroque music (mostly Handel) played in a baroque setting with baroque instruments (including the Powderham Handelian organ ‘George’). But what added the sparkle was that we heard some familiar pieces played as Handel might have heard them. The research, and transcriptions made by Emily Baines from the few remaining mechanical musical instruments of the time, produced the tempi, arrangements and ornamentation that was heard in the music rooms of the mid-18^th century. Along with some lesser known pieces, Amyas Ensemble brought us The Water Music, Organ Concerto no 5, Rule Britannia and the National Anthem in forms that were fresh to us, but what would have been considered ‘usual’ at the time. It was a privilege to be there.

John Pearce.