Jacopo Lazzaretti
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh - 22/10/22
I don’t usually have the opportunity to review a concert starting at 10.15am and ending before 11. Today my routine treatment in the Haematology Day Ward at the Western is enlivened by a recital from classical guitarist, Jacopo Lazzaretti, organised by Live Music Now Scotland.
Jacopo, originally from Rome, did postgraduate studies at the Glasgow Conservatoire, and has worked with LMTS since 2018, mainly as a solo guitarist, including a recent Stromness concert in the St Magnus Festival, and from this year with Chilean violinist, Eddy Betoncourt, in the Soudade Duo.
I learn this from the LMNS website before he starts playing. Given the bustle of the venue, I’m not surprised when he begins a little tentatively with, I think, some transcriptions of Scottish lute music. He adjusts to the ward sounds associated with the taking and transfusions of blood, and treatment given by injection (‘Sharp scratch’ is now the politically correct warning before sticking a needle in!). A patient sitting near him, who’s been reminiscing with a nurse about his family’s music-making, compliments Jacopo on his guitar and asks if he knows any Spanish music. He’s happy to oblige with the anonymous Spanish Romance, and ‘Lagrima’ by Tarrego. There’s applause, including from a nurse who pops in now and again for some vigorous chair cleaning during the performance.
Very good arrangements of Scots tunes are next, beginning with the lovely slow air, Niel Gow’s ‘Lament for the Death of his Second Wife’, the original fiddle tune providing plenty of grace notes for arranger David Russell to work with. Russell’s arrangements of ‘Loch Lomond’ and the jaunty Irish reel, ‘The Bucks of Oranmore’ come later. Scott Tennant arranged ‘The Wild Mountain Thyme’; ‘Ae Fond Kiss’, always a favourite, is played with feeling. All these pieces are very listenable, often with the melody ringing out over an intricate accompaniment. His last longer piece, ‘Koyumbaba’, a Turkish-inspired work by modern Italian guitarist/composer Carlo Domeniconi (born 1947) gives Jacopo a chance to show off more of his undoubted virtuosity.
It's been a splendid 40 minutes or so, with some restrictions on Jacopo’s set. Patients are divided between those who listen intently and those who treat it as background music (though everyone I speak to later is complimentary).
Jacopo spares me time for a chat afterwards. As well as giving me details of his programme, he confirms my impression that he’s been asked to stick to the quieter works for this setting. He often works in care homes and special education so is used to a challenge or two!
Talking to him and reading the LMNS website gives me some insight into the lives of Scotland’s young professional artists. Economics dictate that much of their music is played in care and educational settings, with the Gallery and Music Society concerts coming round more rarely, and the Festivals a bit of an annual gamble.
Jacopo’s website gives details of a recording ‘The International Poet’, featuring new settings of Burns, made with his partner flautist, Kerry Lynch, (working together as the JKL Duo), as well as of future performances. I look forward to hearing him at full volume!
Meanwhile I’ve left the question of music in hospitals open. While I would love to hear beautiful live music like this at every appointment, I would loathe it if some well-meaning person decided to provide an endless stream of relaxing easy listening pop deemed appropriate to my age and state of health! I’m also firmly opposed to music and other art forms being consigned to a well-being ‘tick-box’. Other views are possible and comments are welcome.
