Review of the concert on the 3rd of June at St Peter’s church

October 2012 was the last occasion that Philip Collin played at St Peter’s and so the Walter Gaze-Cooper group was delighted that he accepted an invitation to play solo piano works by the Nottingham born composer.  More than any other pianist, Philip Collin is familiar with much of W G-C’s piano output and it seemed sensible to let Philip choose his own program for the occasion.

The first part of the programme was devoted to the four Nocturns op.56 composed during 1944. Although only approximately 9 minutes each in duration, they painted a relaxed and gentle insight into WG-C’s music. Humoresque op. 23 (taken from the Concert Suite) formed the penultimate composition. Composed in Rondo form in which the opening theme reappears several times between other thematic material. This would form a wonderful encore to any piano recital.

To close the concert, Philip Collin chose to play an excerpt from one of W G-C’s more technically demanding compositions namely the Sonata no. 3.

In summary, the audience were treated to a wonderful insight into the largely unknown and therefore undervalued piano music of Nottingham composer Walter Gaze-Cooper. View the program here.

Helix Ensemble Concert features ‘Little Suite for Oboe, Clarinet and Strings’ by Gaze Cooper


Helix-Poster-2018v3-1Gaze Cooper’s ‘Little Suite for Oboe, Clarinet and Strings’ was performed at a concert at Bingham Parish Church on Saturday the 16th of June 2018 at 7.30.

“Everyone enjoyed playing the Little Suite. His style is very accessible and although it was not challenging technically, it was fun to play and concisely written”
Sarah Cresswell

Concert in The USA features Gaze Cooper’s Music

Berks County’s own chamber orchestra presents:
Celebration_02
“A Celebration of Women”

Local premieres of works by Jennifer Jolley and Alexandra Du Bois, as well as the American premiere of English composer Walter Gaze Cooper’s Concertino for Oboe and Strings (featuring our own Kirstin Myers), and Haydn’s Symphony No. 48, dedicated to Empress Maria Theresa.

“there was a great deal of positive response to the work and I find it to be quite touching…I love that it avoids overt virtuosity, instead asking the player to show the range of beauty and color of the instrument. An I have often read how the English embraced the music of Sibelius from their first exposure to it, and there are so many moments that I think show a love of Sibelius – do you know if your grandfather conducted/loved Sibelius? The second movement seems to breath the same air as Sibelius Fifth Symphony, but the music opening movement 1 that returns at the end of movement 3 also seemed very Finish to me!”
David McConnell

Full details can be found here