Gig reviews
Review of the Concert at Powerstock Music Festival 14/7/2007
Published in Eggardon & Colmers View
Saturday night was the turn of the Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra: an enchanting discovery for those who had not already had the pleasure of hearing them.
This lively seven-piece group (string quartet, piano, flute and oboe, joined for some pieces by a guest vocalist and bassoonist) played a wonderful variety of light classical music: from cheeky and amusing to wistful and moving, providing a most entertaining and enjoyable evening.
Altogether a very polished performance from gifted musicians who clearly enjoy playing together and this comes through strongly in their performance.
Lynne McLaughlin
Concert at Kenwood (June 2006)
Bobby de Joia (Chair of Heath Hands)
It is hard to believe that it is now five years since Aspidistra first appeared on the lawn to give our tea party a bit of a zing. You have been instrumental (pun definitely intended) in doing that ever since and for that we are very grateful.
Please do thank all the members of the orchestra for us for being so kind and willing to help out. We so enjoy having you with us. It is nice to hear the repertoire grow with each succeeding year.
You are amazing and our guests adore you. So please do count on us next year.
Civil Partnership Ceremony
"We were delighted when Aspidistra was available for our Civil Partnership party in January (06).
It added a wonderful atmosphere to our celebration buffet supper at the Reform Club. Our friends still comment on it. - Roger & Marcus"
Sally Peterson Classic FM
One of the highlights of the Positive News Midsummer Fair, held at Shakespeare’s Globe, was the Palm Court Orchestra, Aspidistra, playing in the garden of the neighbouring Cardinal's Wharf. Seated on a platform placed over the pond, in front of the evocative ruined folly, they played an array of Palm Court music.
The seventeen century house and garden right next door to the Globe had been opened to visitors of the fair, creating an oasis of ‘turn of the century’ calm.
The heyday of Palm Court Music must have been the Edwardian era, before recording and broadcasting were established. In those days the only way of introducing music into the home was to make your own, or invite musicians to play for you.
Many small orchestras of three to ten players existed for just this purpose and often played adaptations of large orchestral works in a palm court setting. Of course this all changed with the advent of modern recording techniques.
Adam and his orchestra, Aspidistra got together about five years ago with the aim of bringing back the festivity, elegance and fun of the Palm Court style.
Some of the best tunes written for the genre, now gathering dust in the archives, are on this new CD, my favourite being the Argentinian tango melody by Charles Ancliffe, “El Saludo”.
Bunny Dexter of Bundex productions (2001)
We were very glad to have come across the CD of the Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra when we were editing "The Producer Prince" and were quick to chose it as the background music for our film. "The Producer Prince" is a documentary based on interviews with Prince Alessandro Tasca di Cuto, the son of an illustrious Sicilian family.
Born in 1906, he was brought up in the splendour of his forebear's baroque palaces. Sadly, his father squandered the family fortunes and died penniless in 1927.
Like many humbler Sicilians, Alessandro went to America to find a better future for himself and his grieving mother. Eventually he became an important producer in Hollywood. He worked with most of the early Hollywood stars and has many stories to tell.
The music of Aspidistra sets the scene perfectly. It complements the grandeur of the palaces of Alessandro's childhood and the faded sepia snaps in the family album. It also brings to life those hedonistic days of early Hollywood.
The tunes we picked for "The Producer Prince" soon got so imprinted on our brains that we found ourselves involuntarily humming them all day. The melodies just wouldn't let go of our subconscious but still we listen to the CD with great pleasure.
The Aspidistra will be playing at the launch of "the Producer Prince" on the 11th July 2001 in London.