Lynn Arnold Clark made a welcome return to Shipston for the opening concert in our new season for 2016 2017.  Lynn, a professional solo and chamber pianist, is also a highly sought-after piano teacher in Warwickshire and London. In addition, she is on the staff of the Royal College of Music Junior Department, where she works as an accompanist.

On 16th September she played J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations - uninterrupted by an interval (but don’t worry, the audience had already had refreshments on arrival!).  The Variations were written in 1741, originally for the harpsichord, but a lot of the background to its conception is rather uncertain.   It is thought to have been composed for Johann Goldberg to play, though at that time he would only have been aged 15! and Lynn Clark J. S. Bach is thought to have been commissioned by a certain Russian count, Count Kaiserling, who suffered from insomnia, to compose music for Goldberg to play to help him through the long night hours.  Certainly if any of the Shipston audience felt sleepy during Lynn’s performance, it can only be seen as a compliment to her joyful playing and the pleasure of Bach’s music!