Aylesbury Lunchtime Music presents

Phil Hopkins & John Lenehan

30 July 2026

Starts: 12:45pm, Doors: 12:15pm

Duration: 1 hour (approx.)

£7 adults on the door (<18s & carers free)

Phil Hopkins and John Lenehan

Programme

  • 1898-1937

    Porgy and Bess Suite (Gershwin)

    i It Ain’t Necessarily So, ii Summertime, iii I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’

    The opera Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin, with libretto by lyricist Ira Gershwin and author Dubose Heyward, was first performed in Boston in 1935. After an initially unpopular reception it was revived in later years to great success. The aria Summertime has acquired iconic status, performed alike by classical and popular artists.

  • 1899-1963

    La Grenouillère, FP. 96 (Poulenc)

    In 1904 Apollinaire visited the painters Derain and Vlaminck who lived in the area; he passed by the Grenouillère, and saluted, in passing, a once-celebrated watering-hole frequented by the Impressionists and literati more than thirty years earlier. More than thirty years after the poem was written, Poulenc, now at his height as a song composer, captures the poem’s atmosphere with relaxed insouciance, gently resigned to the transitory nature of life in the late heyday of the second Empire.

  • 1845-1924

    Berceuse, Op. 16 (Fauré)

    This Berceuse (Op 16) was written around 1879. In its original form it was composed for violin and piano. A “berceuse” is a lullaby and this is reflected in the gently rhythmic lilt of the melody.

  • Flute Sonata No. 2 in E flat BWV 1031 (Bach)

    i Allegro moderato, ii Siciliano, iii Allegro

    The second flute sonata is believed to date from around 1717-1723. The keyboard accompaniment features a concertante part where the right hand is as musically important as the lead instrument, making for some interesting dovetailing of the melodic lines. Flute music suits the chromatic harmonica well – the instruments share the same range (middle C upwards for three octaves). Our arrangement has involved some minor re-arranging of William Bennett’s 1983 edition for modern flute. The second movement, Siciliano, is famous as a standalone concert piece.

  • West Side Story suite (Bernstein/Sondheim)

    i America, ii Tonight, iii Cool, iv Somewhere, v Gee, Officer Krupke

    The musical West Side Story has had two famous incarnations: firstly, the original Broadway production which opened in 1957 and ran for 732 performances; secondly, the 2021 film version directed by Steven Spielberg. The book is a re-telling of the Romeo and Juliet story set in 1950s New York. The score blends jazz, Latin, symphonic grandeur and musical-comedy conventions in a format that was groundbreaking for its time; instrumental extracts from West Side Story have since become a staple of classical concert programmes.

  • 1921-1992

    Oblivion (Piazzolla)

    Oblivion was composed in 1982 and originally arranged for bandonéon, piano and bass. It has since been arranged for piano solo, clarinet, orchestra, and even a spoken version. The piece was commissioned and featured in the 1984 film Enrico IV (“Henry IV”) by Marco Bellocchio. Adapted from the eponymous theatrical piece by Luigi Pirandello, the plot tells the story of a man who, after losing conscience, thinks he is the famous king. The piece became popular from the film and lives to this day through concert performances. Piazzola elicits an atmospheric and haunting ambience in his composition, evoking the image of oblivion.

  • 1921-1992

    Libertango (Piazzolla)

    Libertango is a composition by tango composer and bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla, recorded and published in 1974 in Milan. The title is a portmanteau merging “Libertad” (Spanish for “liberty”) and “tango”, symbolizing Piazzolla’s break from classical tango to tango nuevo.

  • 1868-1917

    Movie Medley (Barry/Joplin)

    i Midnight Cowboy, ii Dances With Wolves, iii The Entertainer

    The chromatic harmonica has featured in some memorable film soundtracks, notably Midnight Cowboy, featuring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, and Dances With Wolves. In this arrangement the John Dunbar theme is played, the part of Dunbar performed by Kevin Costner in the 1990 film. The medley is rounded off with The Entertainer from the film The Sting (1973). The film doesn’t feature harmonica but we love playing this Scott Joplin classic from the ragtime era!

  • 1928-2020

    Cinema Paradiso (Morricone)

    i Main theme, ii Love Theme

    Ennio Morricone (1928 – 2020) was an Italian composer who wrote music in a wide range of styles. With more than 400 scores for cinema and television, as well as more than 100 classical works, Morricone is widely considered one of the most prolific and greatest film composers of all time. He has received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Golden Globes, six BAFTAs. Cinema Paradiso (1988), a coming-of-age drama set based around the cinema of a small Italian town, won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Performers

  • Phil Hopkins & John Lenehan

    Harmonica/Piano Duo

    Experienced harmonica and piano duo: Phil Hopkins has played for the BBC Concert Orchestra and numerous theatres, John Lenehan has released more than 80 albums and has been involved in many high value films
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Key information for concert goers

When

Every Thursday at 12:45pm (except August & over Christmas). Performances last around 60 minutes. Please enter quietly as there is a noon service in the Lady Chapel.

How much?

Entry is £7 per adult (card or cash), under 18s and carers are free. The price includes a programme. Donations are welcomed to subsidise the larger ensembles.

Where?

Performances are at St Mary’s Church in the heart of Aylesbury Old Town. See directions for further details.

Do I need to book?

No, just turn up. Doors open at 12:15 pm. Make sure you arrive in good time to get a seat.

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