About

The Puffin Ensemble, which comprises a healthy number of the wind section from the Colchester Symphony Orchestra, will be returning for the fifth time to St Botolph's Church on 27th November, to give a concert of wonderful works for wind instruments.

Rob Rogers, our Principal Oboist, writes: The Octet in Bb by Lachner is symphonic in structure and character and features one flute and one oboe, rather than two oboes on the top musical lines. We will probably add a contra-bassoon on the bottom to give added depth to the sound. The amazing Petit Symphonie by Gounod is a mix of wonderful French wittiness to sumptuous rich harmony which is delightfully stretched out in musical elasticity. This needs much dexterity in our fingers in the quicker passages and huge projection of sound in the slow movement, which brings out the flute as soloist.

Less authentic works for the ensemble are Mozart's Magic Flute Overture, cleverly arranged by the late Ian Bauers, who was a keen member of the group as a bassoonist as well as arranger, and a medley of themes from West Side Story also manipulated by him.

The programme is rounded off with some 'lollipops' variously arranged by members of the ensemble, and otherwise, and we normally decide what to play ad hoc but there are hints of Mancini (i.e. The Pink Puffin) to JW Bratton (er…. Teddy Bear's Puffinic) and other well-known tunes such as Mary Puffins and many others too numerous to publish.

If you are a bit confused by all this then it is best to pop along to the concert and be marvellously entertained by something serious and rejuvenating, and then some rather silly, but well-played, antidotes to balance each and every palette.