MOONLIGHT, MYSTERY, MOZART AND MUCH MORE

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Rochdale Amateur Light Orchestra

MOONLIGHT, MYSTERY, MOZART

AND GLEN MILLER AND MUCH MORE

by Norman Warwick

Graham Marshall (left), occasional classical music contributor for Sidetracks and Detours and PASS IT ON recently gave an interview to  Steve Cooke, my former journalistic partner at all across the arts in the UK.

Graham alerted us to this and forwarded a print copy by e-mail of the article Steve published in The Rochdale Observer about Rochdale Amateur Light Orchestra. Graham is joint conductor of the orchestra alongside Christopher Irvin.

Graham talked to Steve about a concert that took place in July at Holy Trinity Parish Church of Littleborough UK. The concert brought together local amateur musicians who enjoy rehearsing and performing music of alight-hearted nature of all kinds.

Membership is open to all orchestral players on any instrument. Rochdale Amateur Light orchestra regularly deliver very well received concerts.

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The July concert, for instance included Mozart´s London Sketches. These are six piano pieces Mozart wrote whilst living in London in 1764-75 when he was only eight years old.

Graham told Steve how he arranged the piece the RALO ensemble saying ¨I think they make a pleasant, easy-listening addition to our wide repertoire.”

The programme also included Gounds composition, the tongue-in-cheek Funeral March of The Marionette, a quirky clarinet piece that has become inextricably linked with Alfred Hitchcock, and a two-step march entitled Rastus On Parade, by the nineteenth century American composer and publisher, Kerry Mills.

The three movements from Mother Goose Ravel´s suite of music for children, added a touch of magic to the atmosphere, culminating with a fabulous audio depiction of a fairy garden.

Our headline clarifies exactly how the concert was promoted, with the ´much more´ containing still hugely popular examples of twentieth century songs. like Moonlight Becomes You and Henry Mancini´s Moon River as well as Moonlight And Roses by Edwin Lamare. Edward McDowell´s To A Wild Rose was also included with Richard Roger´s Blue Moon and was introduced as being not only for City fans !

My favourite jazz version of that song, as most readers will know was released a couple of years ago by the American artist Karla Harris with the Joe Alterman Trio. How I would love to hear her singing it in the home of the football club to a match-day crowd.

Just to complete the alliteration of the strap line the concert closed with Glenn Miller´s iconic Moon Light Serenade.

Admission to this wonderful concert was free but there was a well-supported retiring collection.

Check out web site to find details of future events.