SYRINX

Yesterday had the great pleasure of sitting in the inner sanctum of knowledge, otherwise know as the Rare Books and Music Collections at the British Library. I was on the trail of a set of part books used by Queen Anne's oboe band at various functions and balls in London. 

After the usual sidling up to librarians, smiling sweetly, explaining my innocence and ignorance, being sent from one desk to another, I finally managed to track down the right shelf mark, order the books, while a way an hour as I waited for them to arrive and then hallelujah! 

All the annoyance and frustration disapated as i held in my hands a set of music which my forbearers, those french oboists living and working in London, would have actually played from - even probably wrote out themselves... for a baroque oboist, setting up an oboe band, this was like discovering the holy grail or atleast having several birthdays and christmases all at once.

Despite being mainly made up of well meaning but hardly earth shattering suites and overtures by Paisible, I discovered several gems including the SUITE EONGLAISSE, a mix of songs and dances from several of Purcell's semi-operas and incidental theatre suites and the also interestingly spelt SUITE POUSILLE made up of dances from Purcell's Fairy queen.

If you come along to our concert on 4th April at Grosvenor Chapel (part of the London Handel Festival) you will get to hear some of these pieces come to life and see us playing directly from copies of these part books... true authenticity!