Friday 30th July 2004
“Don’t count sheep, think of all the hymn tunes you know and you’ll be asleep in no time,” is Derek Wilkinson’s advice for insomniacs.
This little gem and others like it were revealed during Derek’s talk called The Enjoyment Of Music, which he gave to Warminster U3A at the Assembly Hall in July.
Derek is the musical co-ordinator of the West Wilts U3A and for him the pleasure of listening is the primary purpose of music. He said a good tune is most important.
Making music with other people and choral singing, he suggested, are also tremendously satisfying. He is a member of a recorder group which he said was very good fun too.
Derek mentioned that attempts by students at composing may not always be successful but this does help to appreciate the awesome craft of the great composers. A knowledge of music analysis should not interfere with the simple enjoyment of listening. A sense of rhythm and understanding the jargon of music and harmony help but are not essential to enjoyment.
Derek’s endearingly comfortable and relaxed style perfectly complemented his choice of a musical potpourri which included Purcell’s Nymphs and Shepherds, sung by the fresh young voices of the Manchester Girls Choir; Schubert’s Trout Quintet, Ravel’s Bolero, Haydn’s Clock Symphony, Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven, and Derek’s own “tingle factor’ – a slow movement of a Mozart piano concerto.
The Padstow Lifeboat, a witty march by Malcolm Arnold, introduced the thunderous Padstow foghorn at frequent intervals, and Shostakovitch’s Turkey Trot, an exercise in full-blown orchestration of the song Tea For Two (composed in one hour for a challenge), concluded an enjoyable afternoon.
Report by Biddy Shephard.