Norway 2007
The Journey North
It was a bleary-eyed quartet that converged on Heathrow at 4am, having travelled from Bristol, Amersham and Yorkshire (yes, Yorkshire). After a few confusing moments spent checking the cello into its window-seat reservation, and an even longer time with it being pre-boarded and roped into it's seat by airport technicians, we were on our way North to Iceland. There was time to get a quick bit of insider-advice on places to see in Oslo - we were seated alongside a ballet-dancer from Cardiff who was currently working with the Oslo Opera!
The Journey South
After a brief skim-read of the Lonely Planet's guide to Norwegian motoring laws, we set-off in our quartet-mobile, a very large hire-car with a 'volunteered' Dury at the wheel. The journey ahead was only 230km South West, but would take all day. At the end of it lay Risor, and our first rehearsal of the Schumann with pianist, Jo.
Concert 1: Risor Church
Each summer the tiny harbour-town of Risor comes to life, packed to its limits with string players, chamber musicians and audiences. It has a strong tradition of world-famous visiting players such as violist Lars Andes Tomter, and boasts a summer chamber music festival with a string audience drawing on memebers of every one of Norway's professional Orchestras. So expectations were high.
Almost as a 'thank you' to local residents, therefore, Risor Church also boasts a smaller, more intimate music festival later in the year. We were concert 4 in the festival, and the only interntainal group performing, the other players being Norwegian professionals.
With the weather not on our side, we were heartened to find so many locals attending the evening's performance. Drawing our inspiration from the incredibly intricate decoration on every surface of the church, we made our Norwegian Premiere.
Concert 2: Sauherad Church
After a day in the sun and a dip in a Fjord, we made it to our second concert in Sauherad. Unlike Risor, Sauherad's residents boast many of the Norwegian Professional musicians as residents but very rarely are the locals treated to live classical performances. The town's Summer Jazz and blues festival is always well attended, but no one knew how many locals would be there to watch us.
As the 7 o'clock start time approached it was inspiring to watch as car after car started pulling into the church driveway. As we walked on to start with the Schubert Quartettsatz, the ancient church was nearly full.
The concert was very well recieved, including a couple of string players from the Oslo Opera who had come along to support us. The local church also presented us with Cd's of local Sauherad and Southern Norway musicians crossing all musical genres. After a short speech revolving around the floods and bad weather which had hit our home parts of Britain whilst we were away in relation to the unseasonably warm weather we had found in Norway, we were invited to a barbecue at a local house which went on into the night.
The Journey Home
After a long drive and juggling the Oslo traffic, there was just time for a quick tour of Oslo before we set-off for home. Thankfully the flight was nearly empty as we gained instant 'fame' on the trip home, as the captain announced the flight would be a little late departing whilst we awaited Norwegian ground crew to tie the cello into its seat as there was a string quartet on board.
Then just enough time for a quick nap after landing at Heathrow at Midnight, before performing as the Ardeton String Quartet at a wedding in Penarth, South Wales at 11am the following morning...!