November 2025
TONIGHT
Our final meeting in 2025 will be on 1st December when David Davies will be asking “Are you sitting comfortably?” and presenting some Classical Music Signature Tunes.
In the new year we will resume on Monday 26th January 2026 when Ed Tinline will present: “With few strings attached”, music for wind ensembles.
We hope you will be able to join us on Monday.
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
November 2025
Tonight’s programme (Monday, 17th) features the work of Gordon Jacob another of those composers who despite a prolific output, largely remains in the shadows. He composed over 900 works and was a significant figure in the music world.
Presented by Geoff Orgram, it starts at 7:30 as usual. If you have never been before and want to give it a try, then your visit will be free. You can see details of our other evenings on this site.
October 2025
Our next meeting will be at 7.30pm on Monday 3rd November 2025.
It will commence with a short Annual General Meeting followed by our Members’ Evening. For this Robin now has almost sufficient pieces for what should be a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Any last minute ideas for possible inclusion if there is time to Robin please.
Following this on 17th November we will have a presentation entitled: “Seventh Son” An appreciation of the work of Gordon Jacob. Written and presented by Geoff Ogram
On 1st December at our final session before Christmas, David Davies will present some Classical Music Signature Tunes. To help him prepare for this, David has asked me to forward the following to members:
“The meeting on December 1 is entitled ‘Are you sitting comfortably? These words began Listen with Mother at 1.45 every weekday on the BBC Light Programme from January 1950 and on into the 60s. And every programme ended with the Berceuse from Faure’s Le Jardin de Dolly suite for piano duet. The words and the tune are still remembered fondly by a whole generation.
“But what else in radio and television (including adverts) has used classical music as a signature tune? We shall have a not-too-serious discussion on this topic, and I would appreciate your letting me know your suggestions.
You can email me at davidracheld@gmail.com
Thank you. David Davies“
We hope you will be able to join us at these sessions.
October 2025
Tomorrow, 6 October is the date of our next meeting and it an exploration of
the world of Alan Hovhaness an American. A prolific composer with around 67 symphonies to his name, there will clearly be lots to chose from.
We meet at 7:30 as usual and finish at 10:00. Programmes are available in the Library and in the Tourist Information Centre.
September 2025
The new starts on Monday 22nd at 7:30 with a presentation called intriguingly Murder, Mishap and Misfortune by Alan Forshaw. Alan’s presentations are always good value and show a deep knowledge of the subject and will no doubt contain some surprises.
The full programme is available and copies can be picked up in the Library (immediately to the right when you go in), the Tourist Information Centre in Fish Row or a pdf can be seen via this link.
If you want to try us out then the first visit is free and full season’s membership (14 evenings) for a mere £25.
Look forward to seeing you.
Peter Curbishley
August 2025
We are delighted to attach the programme for the forthcoming season starting on Monday 22 September at 7:30. You can see there is lots to interest with presentations of more familiar composers together with the less well-known. The strange but amazing music of Eric Satie has an outing and also Delius, a composer we have not featured for many years.
There are evenings on American music as well as from Iberia. Indeed, there is considerable variety in the programme. There are two members’ evenings where members bring along one or two of their favourites. The evenings are open to all we should add.
The Society is keen to explore some of the hidden corners of the repertoire, including pieces seldom heard in the concert hall.
The programmes have been printed and if you like a paper version, they will shortly (next week) be in the Library and in the Tourism Information Centre. If you want to give us a try your first visit is free.
PC
May 2025
The last meeting of the current season is tonight, 12 May at 7:30 as usual in the Guides Centre, St Ann Street, Salisbury. It will be on the music of Edgar Bainton and we are delighted to welcome Michael Jones to present.
We will resume our new season in the Autumn and the programme has been finalised. It will be posted here soon.
April 2025
I regret to say that the speaker due to come on 28th April is unwell so we have had to rethink. The committee has decided that it would be best to have a member’s evening to replace the published programme. Accordingly, could you bring with you a piece you would like played and to say a few words – i.e. just a minute or two at the most – about why you have chosen it. It might have meaning for you, it might be something you have just discovered (for yourself that is) or just something you like which you want to share.
Would you let Robin know what the piece is please, its title and length. It might be a CD which you will bring, or if it’s on YouTube, then let him know the URL for the piece. Robin’s email is robert.lim@virginmedia.com.
I look forward to seeing you for the penultimate meeting of this year’s programme. I should add that although this is a member’s evening, non members are welcome to attend.
PC
March 2025
Our next meeting will be tonight, Monday 24th March, when we shall welcome Peter Jarvis who will be reminiscing about his life in the orchestra pit as a clarinettist.
At the following meeting on 7th April Peter Curbishley will be discussing the somewhat overlooked French Composer Francis Poulenc.
I hope we can welcome you to one or both of these evenings.
PC
March 2025
Tonight’s meeting (10 March) is an exploration of the Welsh composer William Mathias to be given by Lindsay Dannatt. Starting at 7:30 as usual. Mathias composed a huge range of works and no doubt we shall sample a few this evening.
PC
Salisbury Recorded Music Society 