An Adventure
In Sound

James Hughes’s recital in Southwell Minster’s Music in theGreat Hall series on Sunday 18^th  September was an adventure in sound and a technical ‘tour de force’.

 Never before has Southwell’s venerable Great Hall been filled with such an unexpected range of sound – from every bang, click and rustle that the snare drum could produce to the sound of gourds and vibrating metal being immersed in water.

In this fascinating soundscape the marimba and vibraphone appeared conventional – though the playing of these and all Mr Hughes’s battery of instruments was not. 

James Hughes is a young percussionist with great technical ability, a passion for his craft and an enthusiasm to share it with audience. This was evident from the start when the hypnotic sound of the marimba chords of Evelyn Glennie’s ‘A little Prayer’ tested the boundary between sound and silence. 

The adventure continued with James’s own Duel Perspective for water percussion and electronics, in Warren Benson’s Three Dances for Solo Snare Drum and Tom Gauger’s ‘Nomad’ – a short but delightful piece of descriptive playing. 

James was joined by the equally talented pianist Tim Balnaves for Richard Michael’s Jazz Suite for vibes and piano and Paul Creston’s Concertino for Marimba and piano which closed the programme.

From “The Bramley” No: 336 October 2005