An Inspiring Evening,

‘Inspirations’ was a very well-chosen title for a really original ‘arts evening’ at St Sampson’s on 27th April. The chief organising spirit behind it was a well-known member of our congregation, Jane Newberry, who drew together a foursome of people with varied talents and great enthusiasm for their respective forms of creative art.

Anthea Lay is a much-prized member of our congregation and local communities who became nationally known a few years ago through her involvement in BBC TV’s ‘Big Painting Challenge’ – and many of us locally have lived very happily for a long time with her lyrical landscapes, riverscapes, seascapes and skyscapes, executed in oil-paints. Anthea gave four truly illuminating short talks (illustrated by several examples of her work) about her development as a creative person.

Jane, the literary member of the team, who has published several books of poetry for children, likewise gave us four contributions, combining readings of well-known favourites (such as ‘The Lion & Albert’, Masefield’s ‘Sea Fever’ and Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’) with pieces of her own composition. She focussed on the great variety of poetic writing, including magic and dream worlds, children’s fantasy – also reflections of people, places, holidays, and the ‘bigger picture’, involving history, emotion, and the infinite possibilities of life.

The other two members of our quartet were a distinguished organist/pianist David Davies (who currently plays at Buckfast Abbey and Exeter Cathedral) and his wife Rebecca, a physician at Exeter Hospital with a varied musical training who sings soprano with the St Peter’s Singers of Exeter Cathedral. David and Rebecca gave us together a brilliantly lyrical performance (‘like wine and halva’) of Eric Whitacre’s ‘This Marriage’, as a reflection with deep gratitude on the great joy they have found in their own marriage relationship. David also gave us a dazzling piano performance of Debussy’s ‘La Danse de Puck’ (which he takes be ‘a fusion of the Bard and the world of French Impressionism’. David also brought the programme to a magnificent close ‘on the shoulders of giants’, migrating to the organ stool for a dynamic performance of Buxtehude’s Toccata in F, which he linked to the feelings connected with the deep emotion evoked by the destruction of war and the reconstruction which follows – in his phrase, ‘Inspiration – Coventry and Dresden’.

The evening was enriched by wine and refreshments, and inspired really. enthusiastic appreciation.

Our grateful thanks to the inspirer, the contributors, and everyone who helped with the hospitality.

Nigel Cooper