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A feast of Debussy – with a pinch of Archbold. A recital.

Sun 9 Mar 2025 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM GMT 33 Hampstead Lane, N6 4RT

A feast of Debussy – with a pinch of Archbold. A recital.

Sun 9 Mar 2025 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM GMT 33 Hampstead Lane, N6 4RT

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For his slightly unusual trio of harp, viola and flute, harpist Hugh Webb has put together a delightful programme of Debussy interspersed by short pieces by his good friend, the composer Paul Archbold. Hugh and Paul have been friends for many years and several of the pieces the trio will play this evening were composed for, or commissioned by Hugh.

Hugh is joined by violist Bridget Carey  who Salon Music regulars will know from her appearances with Madeleine Mitchell and the London Chamber Ensemble. Bridget is a founder member of the Britten Sinfonia, is passionate about new music – and just happens to be married to Paul.

Flautist Nancy Ruffler  was born in Detroit. Following a Fulbright-Hays scholarship to The Royal Academy, she remained in London working as a free-lance flautist specialising in contemporary music – and therefore is an old friend of Bridget and Hugh – and of course, of Paul.


PROGRAMME:

Claude Debussy: Suite Bergamesque (1905)

  • Prelude (Moderato tempo rubato), F major
  • Menuet (Andante), A minor

Paul Archbold: Disenchanted Voices for harp, flute & viola

Claude Debussy: L'Isle Joyeuse for flute, viola and harp. Arranged Paul Archbold.  World Premiere.

Paul Archbold: Of Crossed Destinies, 3rd Movement. For solo harp

Claude Debussy: La plus que lente (1910). Arranged Hugh Webb

  • La Danse de Puck (from Preludes Book 1)

Paul Archbold:  After Medusa for viola and harp

Claude Debussy: Trio for flute, viola and harp (1915)

  • Pastorale
  • Interlude
  • Finale


SUPPER:

The concert will be followed, as usual, by a buffet supper and wine.


TICKET 'PRICE':

Because we are not a public venue we cannot 'sell' tickets. Instead we ask you to make a donation (suggested amount £30 per ticket) which will enable us to pay our musicians a reasonable fee and contribute a small amount towards the cost of supper and wine.


THE ARTISTS:

Hugh Webb

Hugh has worked extensively in the contemporary music field and has had many solo works written for him. Classical CD recordings include Bax’s Concerto for Flute, Oboe and Harp, a collection of Bach Flute Sonatas, Villalobos’ Quartet, Bax’s Fantasy Sonata and the complete Spohr Violin and Harp Sonatas. His most recent recordings are of French Renaissance songs with the medieval group, Joglaresa and of solo and chamber music by Nino Rota.
From 2001 to 2012 he was principal harp of the Philharmonia Orchestra and now freelances as guest principal of the major London orchestras and is active in the film and television music worlds. He has composed a show for children based on Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen.

Bridget Carey

Bridget studied jointly at the Royal Academy of Music and London University since when she has pursued a varied freelance career based in London, gaining a particular reputation in the field of new music. From 1995-2005 she was viola player with the Kreutzer string quartet. More recently, her chamber music interests include east-west fusion group Okeanos, the Goldfield Ensemble and the London Chamber Ensemble. She is a longstanding player with the experimental music group Apartment House, a founder member of Britten Sinfonia, and a regular guest with London Sinfonietta and BCMG, among others.

Nancy Ruffer

Nancy was born in Detroit. Following a Fulbright-Hays scholarship to The Royal Academy, she remained in London working as a free-lance flautist specialising in contemporary music. She has been principal flute in the ensembles Matrix, Music Projects/London, Apartment House and The Almeida Ensemble and has worked with The London Sinfonietta, Endymion, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and various chamber groups and orchestras including The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. She teaches flute at King's College School, Cambridge.

Paul Archbold

Paul studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music and gained a doctorate from the University of Durham. He was Director of the Institute of Musical Research in the School of Advanced Study, University of London from 2011-15 and currently teaches at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Writing for acoustic instruments, voices and electroacoustic resources, his compositions are published by Composers Edition and are performed and broadcast across the globe. Several of his chamber works can be heard on the Gramophone acclaimed CD Wind-Up: chamber music of Paul Archbold and Fabrice Fitch. A performance of Nine Memos by the Arditti Quartet can be viewed here.

Location

33 Hampstead Lane, N6 4RT