Two musical contributions for the Festive Season and the New Year...
An anthem for peace, harmony, mutual understanding and respect across all communities and cultures, everywhere in the world
Blow the Wind Southerly
A traditional English seafaring folk melody from Northumberland, in an evocative arrangement by Laurence Perkins featuring the sounds of the sea along that beautiful remote coastline.
Chacontango
Composed in 2015 by Laurence Perkins for his 'International Bassoon Day' education project, this is his tribute to the great Argentinian master of tango, Astor Piazzolla. Here we have vibrant Latin energies in the form of a Chaconne, a theme-and-variations form popular in the 18th century when the tango first emerged.
This music is published in the U.K. by Emerson Edition. It offers two alternatives (both in the same printed copy) - either as a solo piece with the accompaniment of four bassoons and contrabassoon, or as a shared solo across all five bassoon parts with contra providing the bass line.
To order this music directly, CLICK HERE to go directly to the Emerson webpage.
Mozart Bassoon Concerto
Special anniversary concert performances for 2024 and 2025
CLICK HERE to go directly to the Mozart Bassoon Concerto webpage
'A Paul Reade Celebration' album (Signum Classics) reaches No. 9 in the U.K. Specialist Classical Charts
Composer Paul Reade died 25 years ago and 2023 marked his 80th birthday. Paul was well-known for his music for television such as Play School, Antiques Road Show and The Victorian Kitchen Garden series but less familiar are the wonderful works on this beautifully compiled album.
Laurence Perkins is the soloist in 'Catalonia' - Paul's last work written in 1997, the year he died. It is inspired by and reminiscent of a wonderful music festival held in the Catalan region of southern France in the 1980s. Laurence also joined bassoonist Robin O'Neill and the members of London Winds to record 'Serenata' for wind sextet, another evocative work inspired by the same festival.
With fabulous music in stunning performances by flautist Philippa Davies, soprano Pumeza Matshikiza and the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Robin O'Neill, this is indeed a glorious celebration of music that deserves to be really well known!
You can order a CD copy or an MP3 download HERE - by purchasing the recording, you are helping to ensure that albums like this continue to be made. Many thanks!
Sample the recording on this short video...
SOLO CONCERTS during 2023
Beautiful World performance at the
Didsbury Festival
26th June in Didsbury, Manchester
Click HERE for details of the 'Beautiful World' concert programme
Recital in Bishop Auckland
County Durham, 2nd June
Programme:
Charles Avison: Sonata / Trad. Scottish arr Perkins: Three Hebridean Melodies / Vaughan Williams: Studies in English Folksong / William Hurlstone: Sonata in F / Richard Walthew: Introduction and Allegro / Paul Reade: Catalonia / Elgar: Romance, Op.62 / Perkins: Darkness at Derwentwater / Gilbert Vinter: The Playful Pachyderm
"As far as the eye can see..."
30th April at the Playhouse Studio Hub, Alnwick, Northumberland.
For programme details of "As far as the eye can see..." CLICK HERE to go directly to the webpage.
Spring Serenade
A concert including music by Pierné, Paul Reade, Michael Haydn, Elgar, Weber and Ravel
Laurence Perkins (bassoon)
John Flinders (piano)
A concert for Boston Concert Club on 21st March in the Grammar School, Boston, Lincolnshire
A celebration of the music of Paul Reade
A live concert in London, which included
'A Victorian Kitchen Garden' Suite
'Catalonia' for bassoon and piano
'Hobson's Choice' - a musical story
with
Philippa Davies (flute)
Laurence Perkins (bassoon)
Jan Willem Nelleke (piano)
Barnes Music Festival, London
Saturday 18th March
Weber Bassoon Concerto, Op.75
Urtext edition by Laurence Perkins was published by Emerson Edition on 15th February
Orchestral score and parts based on the 1822 autograph manuscript, with 7 pages of editorial notes.
Brand new piano reduction recreating Weber's orchestration in a pianistic realisation suitable for concert performance, examination or audition, with an Urtext solo bassoon part.
Click HERE for more details on this website.
Hear excerpts from Laurence's Hyperion recording of the Weber Bassoon Concerto, conducted by Douglas Boyd. (Click the blue 'Hyperion' link for more details)
(Recorded excerpts by kind permission of Hyperion Records Ltd.)
Discover
the wonderful
musical world
of the
BASSOON!
"Perkins is a compelling advocate of the instrument"
International Record Review
Based in Manchester, U.K., Laurence Perkins is one of Britain's leading bassoonists. As a soloist, principal orchestral player and as a tutor, he is a tireless champion of an instrument which to this day is less well-known and appreciated than it deserves to be. With an extensive catalogue of solo recordings, a vast number of solo recital and concerto performances, and numerous education projects (national and international) promoting the bassoon, Laurence is continuing this work with new recordings, imaginative concert programmes and innovative projects.
Take a quick tour of some of Laurence's performances
and wide-ranging repertoire
(just a few seconds of each piece - click the 'play' arrow below)
Mozart: Concerto for bassoon and orchestra in B flat, K.191 - 1st movement excerpt (located at 0 mins 0 secs)
with Manchester Camerata, conducted by Douglas Boyd (duration of excerpt: 20 seconds)
A top recommended version in 'Building a Library' on BBC Radio 3 Record Review programme
Saint-Saëns: Sonata for bassoon and piano, Op.168 - 1st movement excerpt (located at 0 mins 21 secs)
with Michael Hancock (piano) (duration of excerpt: 24 seconds)
Gilbert Vinter: The Playful Pachderm (orchestrated by Laurence Perkins) - excerpt (located at 0 mins 46 secs)
with the New London Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Corp (duration of excerpt: 27 seconds)
Fauré: Piéce (orchestrated by Laurence Perkins) - excerpt (located at 1 mins 13 secs)
with the New London Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Corp (duration of excerpt: 31 seconds)
Gounod: Marche funèbre d'une marionnette (Funeral March of a Marionette - The Hitchcock theme)
(orchestrated by Laurence Perkins) - excerpt (located at 1 mins 45 secs)
with the New London Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Corp (duration of excerpt: 20 seconds)
Ibert: Carignane - excerpt (located at 2 mins 06 secs)
with Michael Hancock (piano) (duration of excerpt: 33 seconds)
Senaillé: Allegro Spiritoso (arranged and orchestrated by Laurence Perkins) - excerpt (located at 2 mins 39 secs)
with the New London Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Corp (duration of excerpt: 41 seconds)
Pierné: Solo de Concert - excerpt (located at 3 mins 20 secs)
with Michael Hancock (piano) (duration of excerpt: 42 seconds)
Richard Strauss: Duet-Concertino - 2nd movement excerpt (located at 4 mins 03 secs)
with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conducted by Sian Edwards (duration of excerpt: 60 seconds)
No. 4 in the U.K. Specialist Classical Charts in August 2018
Ganglberger: Mein Teddybär (My Teddy Bear)- excerpt (located at 5 mins 03 secs)
with the New London Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Corp (duration of excerpt: 27 seconds)
Elgar: Romance, Op.62 - excerpt (located at 5 mins 30 secs)
with the New London Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Corp (duration of excerpt: 57 seconds)
Weber: Concerto for bassoon and orchestra in F major, Op.75 - excerpt (located at 6 mins 27 secs)
with Manchester Camerata, conducted by Douglas Boyd (duration of excerpt: 39 seconds)
All recorded excerpts by kind permission of Hyperion Records Ltd.
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