"Just back from your lunchtime recital today in Sheffield Cathedral - really enjoyed your excellent playing and a nicely balanced programme. I had not heard Shostakovich's Viola Sonata before and was impressed by both its asperity and its edginess, but also its tender, elegiac quality, especially in the last movement. Thank you for this and I do hope you will be back before long, ideally with one of Brahms's viola sonatas as part of the programme. Good luck in the interim".
Lawrence Fry - february 2019
DEAR SIMON AND HELEN,
"I HAVE JUST ENJOYED YOUR LUNCHTIME RECITAL AT ST BRIDE'S IN THE CITY. WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO PASS MY LUNCH HOUR! AS A PASSIONATE FAN OF BACH, YOUR PERFORMANCE OF THE VIOLA DA GAMBA SONATA IN G MAJOR WAS A DELIGHT, SO IMPRESSIVELY PLAYED. BOTH NADIA BOULANGER (MODERE, SANS VITESSE ET A L'AISE AND VITE ET NERVEUSEMENT RYTHME) AND LERA AUERBACH, WERE NEW COMPOSERS TO ME. YOUR SELECTION OF AUERBACH'S 'the alps', 'MULHAUSEN' AND 'HIMMELKRON', OFFERED QUITE A CONTRAST TO BACH BUT OFFERED THE DOOR TO SOMETHING NEW - THANK YOU!
AN ENTERTAINING PERFORMANCE of 'THE SUSSEX MUMMER'S CHRISTMAS CAROL' BY PERCY GRAINGER (CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE SEASON TO STILL BE ENJOYED!) COMPLETED THE RECITAL. THANK YOU FOR BRIGHTENING MY DAY WITH SUCH ACCOMPLISHED PERFORMANCES AND INVENTIVE SELECTIONS. I WISH YOU BOTH WELL AND HOPE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR YOU AGAIN VERY SOON".
