It wouldn't be Corsham Festival without something you've never heard before, can't quite understand, daren't miss a note and at the end over a glass of wine wonder really what you've heard.
Nor should it be.
Radius did all sorts of things: Clarinet and flute, with backs to the audience, for instance, played actually into the piano (without, it has to be said, any perceivable difference). Interesting. But there was some brilliant musicality, an immense display of technical prowess and, though he has much to learn in the professional world, an elegant textured cello from Oliver Coates.
They gave the world premiere of Guess-me-not, written a few months ago by Tim Benjamin, who was present to share the plaudits with the players. Like much else on the eveningís agenda, it was an immensely challenging piece; and, again like much else, is something Iíd like to hear again ñ probably in a many yearsí time.
Benjamin's The Rosenhan Experiment, named after a famous experiment into the validity of psychiatric diagnosis. On being sane in insane places, a type of audio visual commentary but without the mechanics, promised much but was badly balanced, the piano of John Reid being far too heavy for the countertenor of Robert Ogden, who also spoke the narrative, much of which was inaudible.
A spoken voice with much more authority and compassionate accompanying is needed.
Reg Burnard
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