Magical times

Last Thursday I dropped by to see Felix at The Magic Hour, the latest Oxford Contemporary Music collaboration with the Botanical Gardens.

The Botanical Gardens is one of my most favourite parts of Oxford but actually since I lived here I've hardly been. I guess that is the problem living somewhere you don't actually make time to do some of the fun more touristy things. The Garden is on the of the oldest of its kind in the UK and is home to around seven thousand different types of plants.

I had been to see Power Plant there a couple of years ago and loved it so was very excited to see what would happen this time. It was great – I really enjoy wondering around the garden at night and it is both magical and quite creepy at the same time. I didn't get there for dusk, it was mainly dark when I arrived. (This was quite problematic for reading the guide and working out which artists made which works). I kept thinking it felt like being caught somewhere between the Secret Garden (albeit with a few more people) and Helen Cresswell's Moondial*.

I loved the feeling of being there and think it's a great way of attracting audiences who might not otherwise go to hear contemporary music. For me it felt like the work engaged a lot more with the garden than in Power Plant and I think it is brilliant that the artists have been working with the garden since March. One piece I particularly enjoyed was called Predator which created sounds using the bat activity already going on in the garden. It was very exciting seeing the bats flitting across the water insect hunting. You can read about his process making it here.

I think special mention should be given to Felix's Shed of Dreams and Joy – it was great and as ever her fantastic attention to detail was in evidence throughout the piece.

You could "Save a sound" in a seed packet like the ones they use in the gardens,

use a tag which was rubber stamped with something rather botanical and collect a badge – I got a cabbage badge which I have been wearing proudly ever since.

Comments

[FelixFelix]

Thanks for the review! It's really interesting to see how other people experienced the shed and Magic Hour...

...I also loved the Bat piece and Predator by Robert Jarvis and I felt the whole collection of works reflected a lot of thoughtful and imaginative engagement (on the artists' parts) with the garden itself.

Really glad you had a good time and like your cabbage badge!

[scarybez]

I remember Moondial! I remember being so scared by the book that I had to force myself to finish it.

[Philippa]

Oh, how very lovely. I wish I could have gone too!!

I've not been to the botanic gardens since I was about five, I think. Every time I go to visit my parents and walk into town I think I'd love to go - and then I never do. Maybe we could make a date to sit and knit, and look at the ivy of course.