Sir Edward Elgar

A talk by Ted Maidment

With musical accompaniment by

John Moore (piano) & Alex Postlethwaite (violin)

Friday 27 June 2025 at 7.30pm

The Blackburn Theatre, Prestfelde School, London Road Shrewsbury SY2 6NZ

Tonight Ted Maidment concentrates on two areas of Elgar’s composition.  The first, at the very beginning of the twentieth century (just after the convincing success of the Enigma Variations), he considers The Dream of Gerontius and, with tomorrow’s concert in the Abbey in mind, The Kingdom.

Then much later, at the end of the Great War, when Elgar, in a dark and depressed mood, found solace and creativity in a West Sussex cottage;  there in this peaceful place he produced a sequence of compositions.  The cello concerto, a string quartet, a piano quintet and the E minor Violin Sonata.    

Ted Maidment is an historian, teacher, singer and speaker.  He has a wide ranging knowledge of history, music and art.  Since retiring some twenty years ago he has become a popular lecturer on all forms of music and art both locally and nationally.

John Moore.  Since retiring as Director of Music at Shrewsbury School John has been involved

with the musical life of Shrewsbury in numerous ways.  He is principal conductor of the Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of Shropshire Music Trust.  He and Alex frequently support the lunchtime concert series at St Alkmund’s Church Shrewsbury.

Alex Postlethwaite is a freelance violinist based in the West Midlands.  He leads the Blaze Ensemble who regularly perform chamber recitals around London’s concert venues.  In 2008 Alex was asked to be band leader with ‘Toccata’ – a charitable musical production company that tours worldwide.  This year they plan to tour Tanzania.  In 2019 he was appointed leader of the London Shostakovich Orchestra.   Locally he leads the Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra and is also concertmaster of the UK Proms in the Park tour.

The Sponsors.  We are extremely grateful to the Owen Jenkins Trust and Tanners Wines for their generous support of this event.   We would also like to thank Mr Nick Robinson, the Headmaster of Prestfelde School, for allowing us to us to stage this event at The Blackburn Theatre.

Any problems please ring Caroline Thewles on 07969 217012

All proceeds will go to REKINDLE and St Alkmund’s Organ Fund