The perfect musical instrument for social distancing!

Brighton Early Music Festival will be taking place totally digitally for the first time.
Trumpets marine in the gardenTrumpets marine in the garden
Trumpets marine in the garden

It will run from October 23-November 1, with concerts having been filmed in various locations across Sussex in advance including Sullington Manor Farm near Steyning, Woods Mill Nature Reserve near Henfield, St Mary’s House and Gardens in Bramber and The Secret Garden in Kemptown.

There is also an unusual two-metre long trumpet making the Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments the “perfect socially distanced concert”, says artistic director Deborah Roberts.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“All events will be streamed online and totally free to access across ten days. By going online, the festival is looking forward to appealing to a wider audience both in Brighton and across the earth, including people who find it difficult to get out to live events in person.”

Deborah added: “The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to rethink how we can best present the festival this year. Given current global uncertainty, we have decided to develop a fully digital festival, with programmes merging musical performance with film, images, animation and documentary presentation - much more than filmed concerts. The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments is Introducing the Trumpet Marine on Friday, October 30 at 7pm which is the first modern-day outing for this lost 17th century instrument. At two metres high, the trumpet marine is the perfect instrument for social distancing! Clare Salaman and The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments have commissioned four new trumpets marine in order to recreate a programme presented in London in 1674 which featured a quartet of these unique instruments which make extraordinary sounds ranging from a loud trumpet-like buzz to a soft and fuzzy flutey tone. It has been suggested that one of their uses was as trumpet-substitutes for use by nuns, for whom wind instruments would have been off-limits.

“Another highlight for families in Brighton will be the Birds, Bugs and Other Beasts taking place on Saturday, October 24 at 10.30am. This event has a strong eco message and features puppet animals made from recycled materials.”

Part of Brighton’s cultural scene since 2002, BREMF regularly presents music covering a thousand years of human history – from the middle ages to the early 19th century. This year’s Festival goes even further back in time, with music from ancient Egypt, up to Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony.

Full listings are available on the BREMF website.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

• Talk is increasing of further lockdowns in the UK. What do you think of the situation? Join the Big Conversation and have your say on everything from healthcare to how the pandemic has affected you personally and how we make our communities stronger: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/bc-worthing

Related topics: