Back in September 2008 we published an article entitled “Triumphant Scottish Concert” – It can be seen here. It was the final concert here in Barga organised by the Hamish Moore, the Dunkeld pipemaker and piper who has been Barga’s musician-in-residence since the beginning of that year.
We said at the time that the concert would be talked about for a long time to come as probably the most definitive expression of Scottish culture ever seen in this area – and all without one piece of tartan in evidence, no sign of any kilts, no ubiquitous Jimmy hats and absolutely no military drumming or marching. It was the real thing and the audience sat glued to their seats enjoying every precious minute of the three-hour long concert.
As Hamish confided just before the event, he had no doubt as to the quality of the music on offer that evening as there were world-class musicians on the stage, but he was unsure as to the reaction of the Barga audience to this kind of event. How would unaccompanied singers in Gaelic, step dancers and bagpipe players fit in with the sound of the traditional Italian mandolin players and choir of L’edicola.
He needn’t have worried. They moulded in perfectly. One side complementing the other. Music is after all an international language.
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Well the music didn’t stop – it just kept on coming. This weekend was the presentation of the full length DVD of that Barga concert in the Prestongrange Gothenburg public house and art centre in Scotland.
Carlo and I went to the DVD launch at the Prestongrange Gothenburg public house and art center on Saturday the 14th March and had a great day. Hamish was in good form. A warm up session was held in the bar from 4 to 7.30pm, we then moved upstairs to the art centre where we started off with a musical medley from Fin, Fiona and Hamish Moore, Sarah Hoy and Ken Campbell to get everyone in the mood.
Mitch (I think that is his name, he is Fiona Moore’s partner and filmed the DVD) continued with an introduction explaining the DVD and it’s history and connection to Port Seaton, the DVD is called The Barga Connection. The people assembled were mostly from the choir, people who had been on holiday and had met Hamish in Barga or who just know him through the music scene.
There would have been an audience of about 150 people. We then watched a short form of the video to set the scene and get the flavour of the place and the concert. It looks great and really made me want to get on a plane and come over now!!
The DVD was received by rapturous applause and I think will sell very well. After the viewing the Sangstream Choir also performed followed by a solo from Scott Gardiner and then The Bella McNab dance band accompanied by Fin Moore played for a while giving the assembled crowd the opportunity to show off their dance moves.
There was a memory board in place where you could put your pictures or thoughts of Barga. Everyone we spoke to spoke very highly of the place and all insisted they would like to return some day – Isobel Zambonini
Per festeggiare il grande successo del concerto di musica scozzese tenuto settembre scorso presso il nostro Teatro dei Differenti, Hamish Moore e i suoi collaboratori presenteranno in anteprima il DVD dell’evento stesso il 14 marzo a Prestonpans/Port Seaton in Scozia.
Inoltre nella stessa località, nota per essere gemellata con Barga grazie a John Bellany, verrà fatta la replica di questo straordinario concerto il 3 Giugno presso Preston Lodge School dove parteciperanno tutti gli artisti che ci hanno fatto onore con la loro bellissima musica.
Additional reporting from Scotland by Isobel Zambonini – images by Carlo Zambonini