Mayfest

Yesterday was Mayfest in Winchester, a celebration of traditional and contemporary music, dance and song. In the High Street they had a couple of Morris Dancing groups. I think of it as a very traditional English dance, although it's not something I've ever done, nor anyone I know of! There were some other Morris Dancers I featured on the blog back in December 2010. As you can see from the sky it's been glorious weather here most of the week!

CY music

CY Music is an independent music shop in Jewry Street. I have been learning to play the piano for the past year or so, and am still pre-grade 1, so I haven't needed to buy too much sheet music yet!

Busker

One of the regular buskers in Winchester.

*** Still on holiday, back soon ***

Play me!

As part of the Hat Fair a number of pianos have been left around Winchester for people to play. I have been learning to play for about 6 months and I am finding it virtually impossible to do a different thing with each hand! However it seemed like there were a lot of people in Winchester who could play pretty well, including a couple of very young children who started drawing crowds!

Hat Fair

More from the Hat Fair which took place over the weekend. This is the Southampton University Folk Band playing outside the Guildhall.

*** I am away for a few days so have scheduled these posts - sorry if I don't respond to any comments straightaway - for my nearest location please see http://whatisbelgium.blogspot.com/ ***

Royal Logistics Corps Band

Yesterday there was an Armed Forces day at Peninsula Barracks. It was a beautifully hot and sunny day although I did feel sorry for the Royal Logistics Corps Band who were playing in this heat!

Army Band

More from the Army Band of the Adjutant General’s Corp as they lead out the 80 servicemen through the High Street

Southampton University Band

There always seems to be something happening in Winchester, and yesterday the Southampton University Concert Band were playing in front of the Cathedral. The students playing aren't necessarily studying music at the university, the band is more of a society within the university. They played a couple of Vaughan Williams pieces whilst I was there and were very good.

Royal Air Force Concert

Not a great photo in itself but I thought I would post it anyway...last night I went along to the Royal Air Force Festival of English Music concert held at the cathedral. It was a great setting with wonderful music from composers such as Elgar, Holst and Vaughan Williams played by Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment. A great evening!

Steel Drums

Particularly on a weekend you will always find buskers and musicians in the High Street. They range from a tramp with a bongo drum, university students trying to raise a bit of extra cash to a whole steel band this weekend. They were really very good.

Assembly Room

St John's House had an open day at the weekend, and the most interesting part of the building is the elegant Assembly Room where wealthy citizens of Winchester would have danced, dined and listened to concerts by the likes of Niccolo Paganini and Franz Liszt who performed here.

A flyer shows details of Paganini's performance in 1832 at the venue

A review in the Hampshire Chronicle newspaper at the time was very appreciative "The well-known and wonderful talent of this highly gifted artist attracted, as we expected, a numerous and fashionable audience. His power over the instrument he professes beggars all description. It must truly be said of him, that on earth we shall not look upon his like again, for he certainly is like nothing earthly"

The room has beautiful chandeliers and original 18th Century stucco plasterwork. Not quite as well known as Paganini and Liszt, but performing during the open day was local pianist David Glynn.

Forty Part Motet

Currently here at The Great Hall until 20 March is The Forty Part Motet which is a recording of forty separate voices of the Salisbury Cathedral Choir singing the Latin chant ‘Spem in Alium’ by Thomas Tallis (hear a version on You-Tube). Each individual voice is played back through one of the forty speakers positioned around the Hall. Standing in the middle it's really very impressive to hear the whole choir or move closer to each speaker to hear a single choral voice and The Hall is a great setting for this amazing sound.

The Forty Part Motet is the work of Canadian born artist Janet Cardiff and has been shown internationally at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Fondation d’enterprise in Tokyo and The Edmonton Art Gallery in Toronto.

The Railway

The Railway pub is one of the top live music venues in Winchester. Many famous acts have played here in the past, including Razorlight, Gary Numan and PJ Harvey.

The pub was built in 1883 and it's thought that the music room was originally built as a stable for livestock being transported to the nearby railway station. One of the upstairs rooms is believed to be haunted by a lady dressed in Victorian costume.

Street Entertainment

And further on down the High Street were another Brass group with Clarinets and Saxophones. This time not collecting for charity, but there's nothing wrong with that!

Brass Band

Further up the High Street was another group. This time the brass band of the Salvation Army, playing by the Christmas Tree and Buttercross. There was actually a queue of other performers waiting to take their place next!