Author Topic: What About Oliver Brookes?  (Read 10732 times)

piedpiper

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What About Oliver Brookes?
« on: February 23, 2010, 11:14:19 AM »

Oliver Brookes often appeared with the Early Music Consort of London but I cannot find anything about him on the internet. He used to play strings. I assume he is no longer with us...Can anyone throw light on him?

A response of sorts would be appreciated rather than silence!

I should point out that I contribute much to this forum freely and without any pecuniary recompense for my "pains". In other words, a sort of hobby!


R.Searle/piedpiper.

sarahk

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Re: What About Oliver Brookes?
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2010, 02:14:44 AM »
Hello PiedPiper,

The good news is that, as of July 2008, Oliver Brookes was alive, working, and apparently performing in the vicinity of Potsdam, New York.  :)  The bad news is that, since then, he has apparently fallen off the radar.  :(

Today, I compiled a time line of Brookes? post-Munrow career based upon what I found out about him via Google.  I assume that the Oliver Brookes to whom the references in Google refer is the same Oliver Brookes who had performed with David Munrow.  My assumption might be wrong, so my time line might not be correct.  In addition, my time line is not comprehensive; rather, it provides just a brief overview of what I think Brookes has been doing since 1976.  Here goes ...

Time line:

In 1977, James Tyler founded the London Early Music Group (please see: www.usc.edu/schools/music/private/faculty/tyler.php).  Brookes was a member of the group from 1977 until at least 1985 (and possibly beyond).  You can read a November 21, 1985 Los Angeles Times concert review of the band, at: http://articles.latimes.com/1985-11-21/entertainment/ca-2035_1

In 1980 and 1981 Oliver Brookes spent periods as a musician in residence at the University of Western Australia.  Source:  Australian journal of music education, issues 30-31, dated 1982, page 26.

In 1984, Brookes and Roxana Gundry founded the Roundelay Duo.

This, excerpted from a January 22, 2009 MIT University concert program:

In 1984 Ms Gundry formed the Roundelay Duo with Oliver Brookes to perform music of the medieval, renaissance and early baroque era, using historically accurate copies of early instruments.
Please see:  http://onigo.mit.edu/~dluca/meridians/CONCERT'09Jan/ConcertProgram.pdf, page 5.

In 1999, Roundelay appears to have been extant.  Please see: http://gfhandel.org/bleissa/pipe/piper.htm

In 2001, Brookes performed with Voces Intimae.  Please see: www.cefls.org/trailblazersummer2001.htm#Voces

From 2000 to 2008 (and possibly beyond), Brookes has performed with Cantilena.

According to a New York state-based arts directory, "Cantilena features Brookes on viola de gamba and Clive Henery on harpsichord, performing a wide spectrum of musical styles.  Cantilena also offers demonstrations of medieval and baroque instruments for various age groups."
Please see: www.slcartscouncil.org/index.php?option=com_sobi2&letter=C&Itemid=168

A note about Clive Henery:  Henery is a Durham, England-born retired professor emeritus of the Crane School of Music, at SUNY University, in Potsdam, New York, and has a background in music history and keyboard instruments.  His wife, Sandra, is a retired public school music teacher.

See a vintage 2000 photo of Brookes and Henery, at www.cefls.org/trailblazerfall2000.htm

See a (vintage 2002?) photo of Brookes performing with Cantilena in Potsdam, New York, at www.cefls.org/trailblazerfall2002.htm#Oliver

On Tuesday, June 5, 2007, Brookes did a presentation with Clive and Sandra Henery, entitled Early Instruments and Intimate Voices.
Please see: www.exploritas.org/ein/summary-ne.pdf

In July 2008, Brookes and Henery performed with Cantilena in the Potsdam (New York) Public Museum.

This, excerpted from the museum?s Fall 2008 newsletter:

July: ? Later in the month the museum hosted a concert by the group Cantilena with local harpsichordist Clive Henery and his wife Sandra on the viola de gamba and guest artist Oliver Brookes and Arlene Babich.
Please see the museum?s Fall 2008 newsletter, at: www.potsdampublicmuseum.org/documents.php?docid=6

I?m sure my time line has factual omissions and errors, so please feel free to post corrections on the board.

If I find more current information regarding Brookes, I?ll post it here.

Hope this helps!

Sarah

piedpiper

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Re: What About Oliver Brookes?
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2010, 11:12:02 AM »

Hi, Sarakh,

            Thank you for taking the time to do some research on the net! I was much impressed by your work! It was very good of you.

Robert Searle aka Pied Piper


DavidG

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Re: What About Oliver Brookes?
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2010, 06:34:16 PM »
Yes, thanks to Sarah and Robert for their information.

I have little to add except that Oliver "Ollie" Brookes was especially important in the early days of The Early Music Consort of London, as he was the main driver. Apparently, he had an old Land Rover and used it to drive all over the country and Europe, with the original EMCL lineup.

I also remember him branching out with his own design of music stand - the Oliver Brookes music stand - similar in appearance to the stands used by the Consort in the vintage pic shown in the Gallery. It was sold by The Early Music Shop (Bradford). It was mainly aimed at viola da gamba players.

It should be noted that Oliver was a particularly versatile multi-instrumentalist, playing many bowed stringed instruments as well as crumhorn, rauschpfeife, recorder and percussion.

piedpiper

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Re: What About Oliver Brookes?
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2010, 01:27:24 PM »

DG,

    I believe there was reference by DM to the old land rover in two BBC radio programmes the Andrew Manse one, and the extract repeated in Mr. Munrow; His Study...

If I recall correctly there was a claim made that Ollie rolled in, and out of his bed whilst on a ship possibly destined to France with the Consort!