2] EARLY 250 years ago, a father brought his nine-year-old Austrian son to Canterbury to give a piano recital. The child was the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and now Canterbury is cel- ebrating the 250th anniver- sary of the birth of this musi- cal geniuswith an innovative series of projects that aim to bring classical music bang _ up to date under the banner ‘Mozart Now’. Mozart was in some ways the Jimi Hendrix of his day — he i was one of the first to master a new innovation in music, the Pianoforte, and make it j .top of the piano, underneath it — performing like a musi- a jack-in-thebox, a bundle .:;p‘f at joyous ‘energy infusing the ’ instrument withlife beyond its . physical capabilities. Mozart was also renowned , for his wild sense of humour, wasaconsummate entertainer and certainly knew how to push the boundaries. - Therehasnever been anyone - in 250 years of music to com- . pare with Mozart in terms of the combination of perform- ance and compositional skills ' that he embodied, which is Why his "work is still so rel- evant today. - I believe Mozart ' himself 9 would have shunned the con- cert hall, given the chance. _He would .-have preferred ope_n—air c erts,- festivals in T MISS our on MOZART ANNIVERSARY EVENTS , I Mozart Media Net will i be fusing new technology with musical heritage at www.mozartnow.co.uk - to provide accessible _ H ' inforrnatiornliterature and supporting materials on the "composer's life and work. ' The website will also act as a diary to inform Mozart . fans - old and new * about ._'forthcoming events. I 9 x 9, a schools-based project, is working with nine-year-olds in nine ' local primary schools to of Mozart. It will includeother art - 9' forms such as dance. visual art and storytellingto bring introduce them to the music - H‘ BouIine~P‘air*lt;~l‘*‘Bi‘fdge~,»5wl1ere* Mozart--st-ayed when he -- visited Canterbury as a child and impromptu street per- formances and would have headlined at lives. The product of an entre- preneurial and pushy father, Mozart was paraded from the age of five, together with his sister (a kind of 18th-century Meet The Osbournes, only with talent) at the various courts of Europe. He played before Kings, Queens, Dukes and Duchesses, often travelling huge distances to perform. However, as soon as he was old enough Mozart decided to take his music to the people, appearing at public concerts, in private houses and making money from teaching music. He was, a_ definite crowd- the subject to life. The results will be featured in a 9 x 9 concert at The Guibenkian Theatre on Wednesday, June 14 and Thursday 15. I Pramadeus is aimed . at the-very young. Peter _Cook, of the Big Bash Music Cornpany in Canterbury, is co-ordinating the project in schools and- nurseries from January until June. He said: "Mozart could play , thevpiano at the age of four and began composing at five. By gently introducing . children to his music, we hope they will enjoy and find an appreciation of the music as they get older." Picture: Barry Duflield pd 947810 pleaser, a performer who actively sought out his audi- ence and engaged with them. One of the aims of the 2006 Mozart Now programme is to demonstrate to new audiences the importance of M0zart’s contribution to music and to break down some of the mis- conceptions about classical composers. A central tenet of the pro- gramme is taking Mozart’s music out of the concert hall andinto places where we can make it more accessible. Three specific projects within the programme are designed to achieve this —MoZa1't Media Net, 9 X 9 and Pramadeus; see below for details. I The climax of the programme wilt be Requiem Fragments - Completion of the Requiem, a project to complete Mozart's unfinished requiem. ‘ The project culminates in Canterbury on Tuesday, Decembers, with a performance of the‘ new completion at 9.30pm in the candielit Cathedral Quire. Anyone interested in taking part should contact music organisation Sounds New on 01227 738783 oremail sounds.new@virgin.net Amateur musicians are welcome but they will need a good levei of competency and the ability to read music. CELEBRATIONS Ringing the bells CATHEDRAL bells will peal out tomorrow (Friday) to celebrate the 250th anniversary of ,Mozart’s birth. The bells at Canterbury Cathedral will ring along with bells in cities around the world which were visited by Mozart. Philharmonia THE Philharmonia Orchestra perform an all—Mozart programme at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, tomorrow (Friday) at 7.30pm. The programme features the Rondo in D for piano and orchestra, Piano Concerto No 20 and Symphony N 0 40. Tickets are £26 and £21. Student tribute MUSICIANS at Kent University begin their Mozart celebrations with a concert on Monday at 1.10pm. It features Kent University Camerata, conducted by Susan Wanless, with Susannah Thackray on flute and Mariah Mazur on harp. The concert will include Moz‘art’s Divertimento in F and a movement from the Flute and Harp Concerto. Admission is free, with a collection. The concert is being sponsored by Canterbury law firm Furley Page. Society concert ASHFORD Music Society performs one of Mozart’s less familiar works — the Divertimento in E flat for String Trio, on Monday. The performers are members of the leading chamber ensemble London Concertante. Also on the programme will be a work by Schubert and compositions by a couple of South American composers. The concert takes place at Norton Knatchbull School, Ashford, at 7.30pm. Tickets £9, children and students £3, from 01233 623700 or from Soundcraft, 40 Ashford High Street or on the door from 7pm. Thursday January 25, 2006, (KG) 31 Mozart painted by Barbara Krafft in 1819 Mozart was a consummate entertainer... he would have headlined at Live8 AFTER five—and-a-half happy years the Rev Paul Filmer is leaving his flock _ ' and heading pastures The-rvicar of'-'Bridge, ,- _ ' Patrixbourne, - Bekesbourne, N ackington and Lower Hardres is ' ‘ to become a university , -- chaplain in Medway. _ ' Mr Filmer, pictured, worked in industry as a . training officerbefore ' being ordained in -1997., He was a curate in the N ‘Stone Street group..'_of _ ' __ churches before coming to ' " Bridge in 2000. One of his-greatest satisfactions has been -to see the parishes,‘ which welcomed two new ' churches, Lower" Hardres‘ In Reverend it ee en role of chaplain and Nackington, just h before "he arrived, knit". together as a cohesive h group. p - They are now going- ' through the formal process of becoming the ‘ 'Brid_ge-'benefice, he said, “The five parishes" _- ' ' are new thinking as a benefice. It is a good point _ to letsomeone else come in’ and take that forward,” - _ he. said. - - Working with the staff and-;__child1j_en at Bridge Scho:ol"has been a high point for the father-of— ' fo.ur,~'who is a governor at the-village primary. _ He said: “We try to keep — the link between school and church as strong as . ,3, 2.43/e5;“ae§ ' possible; It’s like 380- g15andchildre1__i,-.-’_"-i- Mr'_Fil'mer’s last service is. ' in Patrixbourne Church _ _ i at 10am on"Sunday." f __-' __ Afterwards a shared." ’ - " lunch and family service -- .- will be held at Bridge.-_ ' School. " 0 - ‘ , Mrrumer, his wife 0 - <7 -Judy and their youngest _- ‘ "daughter Kate will then move to Walderslade- , ready fo.r him to start his new job on.March 1. ' THE DAILYTELEGRAPH l MONDAY, MAYLZOO6 www.te|egraph.co.uk/nevys ‘ GEOFF PUGH . . wu¢.....u...» ‘ “M. a......nse4.,,-,:~ .\-.~.».v\v.-Ii/""-* 4-5. . » *' _; hosnitalifir. ' heir clears 0ut£2m of ‘clutter’ By Rory Knight-Bruce BY any standards, it will be ' more than a country house car boot sale. 6 _Tomorrow, the Guinness heir, the Hon Garech Browne, will sell the excess contents of his home, Luggala, i11 Co _Wi¢k10vr many of.fi1.e.iten1S-.... having belonged to his late ' mother, Oon , Lady ‘ Oranmore an Browne. “There was just too much stuff here, some of it too large and I was living with the _ contents of two houses, here and Woodtown,’_’ says_Mr Browne, 66. Woodtown was ‘sold in 1996, andthe contents have been in storage till now. “I just had too much furniture,” says Browne, known in Ireland for managing The Chieftains and, through his record company Claddagh Records, his championship of traditional Irish music. He is also a knowledgeable collector of Irish paintings and furniture. . ' , Like his mother, who was A given, Luggala and 5,000 acres inthe Wicklow mountains as a wedding present by her father in 1936, Browne is. known for his and the sale is to secure the future of Luggala,” he says. It is also to help pay for recent refurbishments to the house, estimated at £5 million, including an indoor s ' ' pool and.a Gothic library to house his ' collection of 8,000 books. ' j Lanto Synge, the head" of ' sp‘e'eialistsi‘Malletoof London, said: “There is a tremendous interest in Irish country house furniture at the moment, not just witl1i11 the Irish econoxnywhere _ people have money to spend, but also in the United States.” Leading the sale of more than 400 lots, which are expected to realisein excess of £2 million, is a Louis Le Brocquy Head and Hands of Francis Bacon. _Mr Browne knew both men. 0 Its estimate of £70,000 — £100,000 is likely to be exceeded, being a painting by and of Ireland’s two greatest contemporary painters. “Provenance adds to the excitement,” says George Mealy, whose Kilkenn _ auction house is handling the sale. “The Guinness name is still highly regarded with affection in Ireland and Mr , §rown1e’s name is inseparable hm; “+59. ~- . .. 1;; ._,d1m1e. I g ' forinerhunting lodge, theLzfe.'' . . nospitaiuy. Guests at the pre—sale party vjriiitej'Got}fic,' ‘; accompanied by traditional Irish‘lamen__ts led by a fourth ge.ne_ration'_Uillea'nnt piper. ' Those present" included Mr Brown'e’s 40-year-old ’ l nephew, ‘Dorian, 40, whose father Taragwas killed in a carcrash in London aged 21 ' in 1,966. He" was imrnortalised in the Beatles song A Day in _ _ Mr Browne, who is married to the Indian princess, Puma . ihopes_,a_.re'plaij,ed upon a .' 0 0 speaker—clook, which turns trom that.” _ _ , ' Of the furniture, _ great mahogany longcase clock, the Francis Johnston out eight_ different tunes at each quarter hour. Also, there ' is an 18th century archite_ct’s table, on claw and ball feet, (reserve £35,000 ~— £55,000). To give an indication of both the gilnportanoe of provenance and location, 0 together with the resurgent interest in Irish antiques, it is- worth considering the 0 estimates on what might of Morvi, has no children‘. “It is lovely having Dorian here Francis i Johnston speaker- ciock. ' ' /gate mundane objects. , otherwiselbe considered A post horn, wrongly"“ inscribed by the engr'ave’rs to the “Marquis of Conyng_ham” (he was the Marquess _, Conynghain) is estimated at £4,000 — £7,000, two brass- bound fuel containers are ‘g C1aud- Cockburnand the ., I 0 stage in the life of Lugga_la',” ' among clutter with things a under the bed.” f ‘affordability are several _. offered at £20,000.— £35,000, and bidders are invited to offer £1,000 for acouple of Dutchcow oreamers. ' 0 “Luggala was always a . happi'ness,’.’ recalls the historian Kenneth Rse. _ Oonagh-_Oraninore was an " exceptional hostess. Her guests included the jouri1al'ists Sam White and Cyril Connolly, and, her lovers historian Robert‘Kee_. _;_ “The sale is just the next says Mr Browne. “I was -living‘ At-the lower end of iteIr_1s','_inclu'ding a green _ . lacquered table lamp (£55) ' and a brass carriage clock at £100.‘ _ ' Surely the bargain _for ' provenance must be Oonagh_.O1_‘anmor'e’s cocktail shaker (one . generous owner) offered at a reserve of £83. ' ' house of-great welcome and R5 A___‘ Wm ,__, ..m\..—,..,.,_. .. I — - I I In _ Ifl,__,_, 45,2. we- _ THE WHITEVHORSE INN I 53 High Street, Bridge, Kent bright, airy dining rooms. Well liked for its fish and chips and pickled onlonsebut more sophisticated food is also on offer. Award-winning window I I I boxes. I I I CUISINE Seasonal and ambitious HOUSE WINE £12.50 , I PRICE About £25 per person I I I PLUS Very good amuses-bouchess "RESERVATIONS 01227 830249 " Very old inn, with heavy beamec pub andblg, I I % MINUS Lovely garden, shame about the maih road I + , ' , . BRIGKS$ii.@¢i%i§iMORTAR 24 MARCH 2006 '%iifii§{..fiii MY KINGDOM FOR nus HOUSE Bridge Place, built for a loyal supporterof‘Charles ll, needs a BRIDGE PLACE needs to relive its age of glory, which came in 1660 when Charles II knighted its owner, Arnold Braemes, in Canterbury on his triumphant way to London to reclaim his throne. Braemes, descended from a Flemish merchant who had settled in Sandwich, was an ardent Royalist who had funded the King. In 1661 Braemes was visited by the Dutch art- ist Willem Schellinks, who sketched his grand . house and wrote that “he keeps a princely table” and had “an extraordinary number of visits from knights and high-born gentlemen and their ladies”. ‘ At the time of Braemes’s death in 1681 an- other Dutch artist, J an Siberechts, did a magnifi- cent canvas of the house, showing a grand front in warm red brick with steep roof and dormers. Braemes had bought the estate in 1638 and the house he then built belongs to the remarkable , group of early classical houses in Kent all in brick, which begins with Chevening, now the country home of the Foreign Secretary, and Broome Place, later home of Kitchener of Khartoum. Alas, Braemes overstretched himself and in 1704 his house was bought by a neighbour, John Taylor of Bifrons, who, perhaps jealous of its splendour, demolished more than half of it. The handsome wing that remains cries out for a new . chatelain with a passion for formal gardening ’ who willire—create the “very fine and skilfully ' '%C”.Z’-'/l um!’ 3: l I " "I" 1!‘; 11 ‘ .1 "mu u % M W _J..,,M.....ii Ill 1., .'l-.../ /ml’ , gr”; / l will .,./I* made pleasure gardens”, orchards and vine- J! , r 7 :' W ,f”"’t s-'17.. ,,