Kevin Morgan
Kevin Morgan
January 3rd 2009
Kevin Morgan
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Many in the audience had taken the opportunity to dress up for the occasion and were greeted with a sea of flowers with arches not only adorning the stage, but also tables laden with baskets and vases, our thanks to Doreen who was instrumental in creating these beautiful arrangements.
And so to the organist (accompanied by Mum Sheila), who was making his second visit to our club. Our sincere thanks to Messrs. Musicland for supplying a Technics GA3 and a piano, without their sterling support we would not have had a concert.
Despite Keith losing all his power, luckily we were not in for an evening of gremlins, before we knew it, we had a selection of Happy New Year logos appearing above the stage, setting the scene for a happy evening which Kevin began with the Poet & Peasant Overture.
A blueish background led us nicely into the Trish Trash Polka by Johann Strauss. In true Viennese style, we heard Kevin playing operetta memories for us in the shape of the Light Cavalry Overture by Franz von Suppe, Vienna City Of My Dreams by Rudolf Sieczynski, You Are My Hearts Delight by Richard Heuberger and Girls Were Made To Love & Kiss from the operetta Paganini by Franz Lehar, swiftly followed by his Gold & Silver Waltz.
Kevin then switched to the piano playing us four bright and cheerful serenades by four different composers, namely Haydn, Schubert, Lehar and Haykens. Returning to the organ with more operetta memories set to a reddish background, we heard Over The Waves, an excerpt from the Student Prince, the ever popular Edelweiss and Our Sweet Mystery Of Life.
A "change" in the weather signalled the arrival of the Thunder & Lightning Polka, Keith reproducing the appropriate weather on stage! To conclude the first half, we heard Lilac Time by Franz Schubert who as a shy young composer in Old Vienna, writes a beautiful love song to his beloved Mitzi, but when his best friend Baron Schober sings it to her she promptly falls in love with him instead of poor Franz!
Having changed from a red jacket into a black one, Kevin opened the second half with Gold Old Vienna before playing us a delightful selection from The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar.
Back to operetta with En Chambre Separee followed by the Pizzicato Polka, always a great favorite. Wine Women & Song, Vienna Blood, Artists Life & Roses From the South followed with nobody tripping the light fantastic!
Back to the piano and calming things down a bit Kevin played us the beautiful Barcarolle from the Tales Of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach. Back on the organ, Kevin played a tune we don't hear too often, namely Under The Linden tree followed by the lively Clarinet Polka, nice.
Next a selection from The Gypsy Baron by Johann Strauss II which premiered in Vienna in 1885. Unfortunately I was unable to keep up with the titles of the next selection, but I can tell you that it was by none other than Joseph Lock and had you had your white hanky at the ready, you could waved Goodbye.
All good things have to come to an end and having enjoyed an evening of many favourite tunes, we were in for a couple more and a must for any Viennese evening. The stage lit in blue we were ready to listen to waves of The Blue Danube and to conclude the program, there could only be the Radetsky March with plenty of audience participation.
Our thanks to Kevin for all that lovely music, to Keith on the lights and everybody who helped to make the evening such a success.
(Catharina).
Why not come along to a Basildon Keyboard Club Concert, you will be made very welcome, have a great evenings entertainment, a complimentary cup of tea or coffee with biscuits and of course experience the delights of live music played on top of the range electronic organs & keyboards by the best players.