Welcome
The AJSW Presents
Tuesday, September 19th
at
Wesley's Chapel, 49 City Road, London EC1Y 1AU
https://www.wesleyschapel.org.uk/
A Lunch Time Recital
1:05 to 1:50 pm - Free Entry
Kumi Matsuo
PROGRAM
J.S.Bach / S.Rachmaninov :
Prelude from Partita for Solo Violin No.3 in E major BWV 1006 transribed for piano
J.S.Bach / J.Brahms:
Chaconne in D Minor for the Left Hand only
(Bach's Violin Partita "Chaconne" arranged by Brahms )
Franz Liszt:
Grand études de Paganini (6 pieces together including the famous "La Campanella")
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Click on the arrow to hear Kumi play Franz Liszt: Au lac de Wallenstadt, from Annees de Pelerinage BK1
AJSW Copyright Recording at St George's,Bristol for the AJSW '15th Anniversary Concert' Nov 2011....usage permission restricted
Click here for detailed event information.
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An AJSW 20th anniversary concert http://www.ajsw.org.uk/ |
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The AJSW Presents
November 14th at the
Cheltenham Town Hall and Pittville Pump Room,
Imperial Square, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1QA
A Lunch Time Recital
1.05 to 2.00pm - By Ticket Entry.
Tickets and Information 0844 576 2210
http://www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk/
The AJSW String Quartet
Ed McCullagh (leader) - Ayako Yamazaki - Katya Lazareva - Marta Tobar
PROGRAM
'Dances of St Gregory' - Composer / Arranger Jeff Manookian (b 1953 - )
1. Adagio misterioso 2. Energico 3. Largo rubato 4. Andante Appassionato 5. Allegretto Vivace
F. Mendelsshon String Quartet No 2 in A Major Op 13
1. Adagio Allegro Vivace 2.Adagio non lento 3. Intermezzo Allegretto con motto - Allegro di molto 4. Presto - Adagio non lento
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Click on the arrow to hear AJSW String Quartet play the 3rd Movement of S. Coleridge-Taylors 'Fantasiestuke' - Humoresque Click here for detailed event information.
AJSW Copyright Recording at St George's,Bristol for the AJSW's June 24th '7 Sins and Virtues' concert evening....usage permission restricted.
An AJSW
20th anniversary concert
http://www.ajsw.org.uk/
! NEW FEATURE !
Film Of The Week
Full length feature films
(Free...no registration. Just click and go)
*enlarge screen by clicking on the panel at the bottom right hand corner of the video
from week to week we will build up a program of eg Japanese films / documentaries as well Hollywood musicals
This week:
ROMANTIC VIDEOS
Some Videos To Entertain and thoughts for the romantic.
Katherine Jenkins and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing "The Prayer"
(Click on image to play video)
David Foster says, 'A Moment' that should never be forgotten. I know Katherine Jenkins will never forget that 'moment'. Enjoy it also!
Freddie Starr & the Jordanaires - falling in love
(Click on image to play video)
The great comic Freddy Starr started performance life in a beat group in the 1960's...the Beatle's era (The Rocking Berries)...he went on to be the group's funny man then a solo career. But he loved to sing especially Elvis Presley songs. It must have been a life's dream to find he could have backing him the Jordanaires who from the start of Elvis' RCA and Film career were heard on all his recordings until he returned from his film career to the stage. Sadly Freddie is a broken man today due to false accusations relating to sexual conduct. With a superb backing group and The Jordanaires has 'Can't Help Falling In Love' ever been sung better....even by Elvis! As a tribute to Freddie and for romantics ....the words to this song say it all.
Amanda Lear - Suspicious Minds
(Click on image to play video)
The great French Disco Queen Amanda Lear around since the 1980's, recently had a revival with superb videos, musical support and stage presence. This is from her CD of Elvis Presley songs from a 'year or two' ago. Forget those suspicions and let love rise again!
Acker BILK : Down In Nempnett Thrubwell
(Click on image to play video)
I was born in Somerset as was Acker Bilk. He died in 2014 - a wonderful clarinetist. The sights of Somerset (or Zummerzet!) never to be forgotten.
Janine Jansen Jules Massenet Meditation from Thas
(Click on image to play video)
My contribution to International Women's Day. I will not repeat all I wrote then....to save arguments! Soft power...unique to a woman. Longfellow wrote a line in his Hiawatha poem:- "Woman is to the man as the bow is to the arrow".
St. Philip Street Breakdown - New Orleans Jazz Hounds
(Click on image to play video)
The Japanese jazz band 'New Orleans Jazz Hounds' in their regular spot at The Hub, Tokyo (known as 'The British Pub') where so many of their performances are captured on video by 'Friend' Giichi Oya . Here they are on April 1st displaying the growing talent of Makiko Tamura....). It was 10 years ago in a school jazz concert organised by the now world famous banjo player Ken Aoki.
Nat King Cole - Unforgettable (Live in HD)
(Click on image to play video)
Nat King Cole...one of the most recognisable vocalists and hit recording artists of all time. Here he is singing live 'UNFORGETTABLE'.....that he is.
Kaori Muraji - The flowers are blooming
(Click on image to play video)
Compiled by Godfrey King for the AJSW
Have a listen to a sample from the CD...
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The AJSW is proud to promote member Hiroko Sherwin's critically acclaimed, controversial and well researched book "Japan's World War II Legacy"
(Click above image to show full size)
Scenes from "Grave of the Fireflies"
"Grave of the Fireflies" is a Japanese animation that potrays the human cost of World War II Japan through the eyes of two children.
Grave of the Fireflies, Home Sweet Home
(Click on image to play video)
Grave of the Fireflies - Official Trailer
(Click on image to play video)
"Japan's Word War II Legacy" is published by Quartet Books.
Further details at
www.hirokosherwin.co.uk
or by email
hiro...@btinternet.com
Click above to play our 2016/2017 Christmas Playlist 'Alternative Top of The Pops'
•
If you missed last year's playlist...
Click above to play our 2015/2016 Christmas Playlist 'Alternative Top of The Pops'
•
Or even 2014's playlist...
Click above to play our 2014 Christmas Playlist 'Alternative Top of The Pops'
The AJSW's Christmas mini-CD with The Pascal's:
Steve & Aska Holtz
Great songs -- Great Music as Steve and Aska sing for us
to share and express all our 'CHRISTMAS HOPES AND WISHES'
(Click image to show contents)
£8 plus £2 postage (£10)
Cheques payable to 'Anglo-Japanese Society of Wessex'
Order from: godf...@btinternet.com
Address: AJSW, 18 Ronald Buckingham Court, Kenning Street, Rotherhithe, London SE16 4LL
AUDIO SAMPLER:
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A SELECTION OF PAST EVENTS FROM OUR ARCHIVES
(Click on image for PDF)
Click here for detailed event information.
Have a look at our promotional video...
(Click on image for PDF)
Click here for detailed event information.
Our Wessex Title Explained
Our title and what inspired it is often assumed to cover the region described in Thomas Hardy's novels based on the Wessex Region.....but he was a novelist not an historian and his geographical outline of Wessex described to suit his novels within a defined area and names he used of towns and villages pseudonyms for real places within that area. The real history of Wessex and the area it covered is more complex and over a variable area of the country as its fortunes ebbed and flowed. Our oft asked question "What are you doing in London" sometimes wearisome to answer as little can be explained in a few sentences to a half interested listener and especially the Japanese!
Wessex simply means 'West Saxons' and Sussex (South Saxons), Essex (East Saxons) and Middlesex (Middle Saxons). Wessex, unlike those counties, was never enshrined in the name of a county. The Saxons came from an area of Germany and our present Monarchy are only called the family name of Windsor due to a name change from Saxe-Coburg because of its Germanic connections and the concerns within the UK about the Royal Family's loyalties during World War I due to its relatives within the German Royal Family.
Surpressed post 1066 after the Norman invasion took over the Monarchy of the United Kingdom (s), the region of Wessex shone dimly through the ages almost as a folk memory until Hardy revived interest in it albeit with a novelist's interest to 'tell a good story' but not necessarily a factual one.
But it was the only Monarch called 'Great'...'Alfred The Great'....who established the region of Wessex as a crucial element to everything we now think of as 'English'....the 'Anglo-Saxons' (the English Saxons). Defeated by the Danish forces he hid on what we know as The Isle of Athelney close to Glastonbury in Somerset and from there rose again to defeat the Danes including taking London. Alfred believed the best way to establish national stability was to educate its people. And so began the process that grew into the British Empire that covered nearly the whole world which is why, whatever history's twists and turns may cause, there is some corner of a foreign field 'Forever England'.
Let us say then our title is symbolic of what one man can dream of and bring to a reality 'from a swamp in Somerset'.
Here is a visual explanation explaining some of the history by Ryan M. Reeves:
Alfred and Anglo Saxon England
Further info may be gained from myriad sources and Wikpedia a good place to embark on an expansive and interesting historical quest (see here).
Godfrey King 15.7.14
