Yesterday our string duo played for a small, intimate wedding at Sedgebrook Hall Hotel in Northamptonshire. There were only twenty five people present and this made the occasion especially personal. Our appearance was a complete surprise to the groom and the guests; it had all been arranged in secret by the bride, who had spent the last few months playing her husband-to-be recordings of different pieces to discover what he liked best, without him realising she had an ulterior motive.
Performing at Sedgebrook Hall Hotel
As the guests arrived we played baroque – Bach, Purcell, Vivaldi and Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba – then the couple walked into the room to the accompaniment of Wagner’s Bridal Chorus. For the signing we played Pachelbel’s Canon followed by the Flower Duet by Delibes
Widor’s Toccata for String Duet!
We ended the ceremony with Widor’s Toccata. This was the first time we had performed Roger’s very technically demanding arrangement of this work and it’s surprisingly effective for string duo.Luckily the weather was beautifully sunny and during the drinks’ reception there was another surprise for the groom: a performance of One Day Like This, his favourite song.