|
|
MISBOURNE ORCHESTRA
|
Crown Imperial warmed them up and then all was well.
IRONICALLY, there was a popular song based on one of the main themes from the symphony which concluded this programme which began: "This is the story of a starry night"!
This night was, of course, very wet and cold, but the substantial audience had not been deterred, although it took until the second occurrence of the big tune in Walton's Crown Imperial for the orchestra to warm up. Thereafter however, all was well.
This march, written for the coronation of George VI, is popular with many and recognised by most, and is most demanding for any orchestra. The piece depends on a robust but controlled brass section and alert, dynamically sensitive percussion both of which were well-defined elements in this performance.
Louise Dunsby's rendering of Mozart's Piano Concerto No 23 in A major, which completed the first half of the programme, was deservedly well-received. Ms. Dunsby studied at the RCM Junior Department with the highly accomplished Thalia Myers whose British Piano Music of the 1980s has remained among my favourite recorded collections of 20th century piano music since its release some 13 years ago.
I was intrigued by the prospect of hearing one of her pupils perform and as is so often the case with musicians who reach an exceptionally high standard very early (Ms Dunsby is still in her teens), the only criticisms that could be applied are those which one would normally direct at a player who is far older and more experienced - except the older, more experienced player is unlikely to grow out of his or her faults.
So, if there were a few snatched notes or a little less command over the tone of the instrument's upper register than there could have been, this failed to detract from the overall standard of the performance, which was both engaging and fluent. Hers is truly an outstanding talent.
The second half, of the programme featured Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 6. The Pathetique is of course another perennially popular work, although its emotional force makes it anything but easy listening.
The orchestra delivered the work with exactly the right balance of sensitivity and conviction, particularly the rousing conclusion of the third movement (one of the great false endings in the history of music) but it was the massive, yearning string sound, summoned as if from nowhere for the melancholy final movement, that proved to be one of the evening's most memorable moments.
The Misbourne return to the same venue on February 17 with a programme which includes the Elgar Cello Concerto and Brahms's Symphony No 1.
Back to Reviews pageYoung queen of Keyboard
NOWADAYS we are used to precocious talent in the musical world, able to cope with demanding works with complete aplomb. Sixteen year old Louise Dunsby, living in Jordans, join the club!
Her performance of Mozart's 23rd piano concerto K488. on Saturday was ably controlled, secure and altogether a polished performance without even need for the comfort of having music in front of her. This was her first concerto performance yet not a trace of nerves showed, even in the rather long passage from the orchestra in the first movement before the keyboard is touched.
The second movement opens with the piano alone and here again Louise entered calmly into a quiet Andante with firm control. The third movement - Presto - sparkled and showed great promise for the bravura performances that will certainly come from Louise in the future. All in all a real joy for audience and orchestra alike and praise too for Richard Jacklin, conducting with firm support for the young pianist.
Those who left after the interval missed a fine performance from a large orchestra in good form. Tchaikovsky's last symphony, the 6th, is well known for its overall sadness mixed with tremendous - one might say frantic - climaxes, and the Misbourne made the most of it all, including those final depths of sadness in the last movement as the music slowly faded away. The silence that greeted the end showed the audience had caught Tchaikovsky's own emotions; he died two weeks after the premiere in St. Petersburg in 1893. Incidentally, he thought it: "the best thing I have ever done." This was a thoroughly rounded performance of a major orchestral work which always makes demands on every section, and nothing was lacking in the Misbourne with Resident Leader, Craig Stratton, taking the strings into a great contribution to the symphony.
The concert had opened with a lively performance of Walton's Crown Imperial Coronation march.
Back to Reviews pageFine debut for soloist
It takes some courage to tackle the Elgar Cello Concerto at the age of 16 on the home ground of no less than Jacqueline Du Pre - and for a first public performance as a soloist - but Emily Bounds did just that.
If at times she leaned on the strong support of the conductor, Richard Jacklin, and the rapport between the two was obvious as was the ability of this experienced orchestra to adapt to the needs of the moment.
Emily's playing, always of a high standard, achieved a lovely musical tone - particularly evident in the heart of the work, the Adagio, and she must feel very happy with her debut in front or an orchestra.
The concert opened in rousing style with Wagner's Overture Tannhauser, the confident but necessarily restrained Pilgrims' Chorus from the horns, setting the scene.
The main work of the evening, Brahms' 1st Symphony, requires total concentration from the orchestra and a fair bit from the audience too as it is a masterpiece of orchestral writing.
I liked particularly, the lyrical second movement where the oboe of Hillary Evans was - as ever - totally secure, whilst the strings were impressive in their playing of the various melodies.
The final movement was joy. The triumphal glory of the horns at the height of the climax and the familiar marching melody of the strings brought a splendid evening to a close.
Back to Reviews pageEmily should be well pleased with her concerto solo debut
During the week Emily Bounds is a sixth-form student at Dr Challoner's High school but last Saturday she was the soloist in Elgar's Cello Concerto at the Misbourne Orchestra's February concert.
The orchestra led by Craig Stratton was conducted by Richard Jacklin and started the evening with Wagner's Tannhauser Overture. This work, a synopsis of the opera, makes a magnificent start to the concert.
I believe The Times music correspondent, when reporting an early performance in this country, referred to it as "twenty minutes of noise and cacophony with no discernible tunes". I am sure this gentleman did not think he would be quoted nearly 150 years later!
Although appearing to go at a leisurely pace there is some awkward writing, particularly for the strings when accompanying, but we heard a very accomplished account of this work. The brass and woodwind sections of the orchestra played in exemplary style - I have often noticed the quality of the performances given by these sections at Misbourne concerts.
The cello concerto was the other work before the interval. This magnificent opus is probably the concerto most true to the character of the cello. It was composed by the mature Elgar at the time when he was concerned with chamber music and, although a full orchestra is used, the work has at times the feel of a more intimate character than many other concertos. It has its big orchestral climaxes but they always seem to be proportioned to the autumnal and reflective quality of sound that is so characteristic of the solo instrument.
This was Emily Bounds' first appearance as a concerto soloist and she gave a very impressive performance with a sympathetic orchestra and conductor. Emily is technically very assured and she gave us few technical blemishes but plenty of feeling for the of the work. She should be well pleased.
The second movement is a problem-it should sound skittish to contrast with the emotional first movement,but this is difficult. Some of the first-movent runs to the high E can benefit from a little rubato but these are all individual interpretative details that I am sure Emily will try as she develops as a player because, on the showing, she is going to be very good indeed.
She needed more power in some of the chordal passages but the tone she produced, particularly in the lower and middle ranges, was full and satisfying. Well done Emily, you deserved the applause you received.
After the interval we heard one work, Brahms' First Symphony. This work caused Brahms much anxiety and the world had to wait until he was 43 years old before its first performance. The outer movements are dramatic and the two central movements shorter and more relaxed thus helping to underline the drama of the first and last.
There were moments of great beauty, particularly in the Andante sostenuto - some very good woodwind playing and the lovely violin solo, played by Craig Stratton, who will be the soloist in the Mendelssohn concerto in the next concert.
The brass must be congratulated for their performance in the last movement, whether it be the horn call that starts all the excitement after the slow introduction or the solemn trombones intoning the chorale-like passages that dominate the emotional climaxes.
The next concert is on Saturday May 12 at Dr Challoner`s High School when, as I mentioned, Craig Stratton will be the soloist in Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto.
Back to Reviews pageElgar's cello concerto was an excellent choice for young Emily Bounds' debut as a soloist with the Misbourne Orchestra last Saturday. She played the opening declamatory chords with a magnificent flourish, and tackled this difficult work with great aplomb. Emily not only makes a beautiful sound with her cello, but plays expressively with a wide range of tone colours. If the occasional passage needed the confidence which comes with experience, this was more than made up for by Emily's impassioned playing, particularly of the central Adagio. I am sure we will hear more of Emily's cello playing.
Emily was well supported by the orchestra, particularly the clarinet of Jane Plessner and the oboe of Hillary Evans. The Misbourne are fortunate to have two such fine players, both of whom contributed notably to Brahms' Symphony No 1 in C minor, the other major work played on Saturday. This orchestra is going from strength to strength under the direction of Richard Jacklin. The Elgar was preceded by Wagner's overture to Tannhauser, a challenging work, particularly for the strings, which the Misbourne carried off with great confidence.
Back to Reviews pageA Confidence one rarely hears outside professional orchestras.
CRAIG Stratton's usual place as leader of the Misbourne was vacated on Saturday to enable him to perform the Mendelssohn violin concerto, and in his place came the very able Fiona Cornall, very much a soloist in her own right.
Craig was determined to give the concerto his all and a bravura performance resulted, albeit at times I felt that his attack resulted in difficulties for the orchestra who, however, under the baton of Richard Jacklin, could not be faulted.
The high technical demands of Mendelssohn were consistently met and Craig's delivery in that glorious second movement (they all in fact run one on to the other) was brilliant and made a dazzling finish to the concerto.
The concert had opened with an articulate and lively interpretation of the overture to The Barber of Seville by Rossini and the Mendelssohn was followed by a heart-rending account of the Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber, a delivery which showed the Misbourne strings at their best in the utmost simplicity of form of this lovely and moving work.
Over the last two or three years, the Misbourne has grown in its standard of orchestral musicianship, demonstrated no more so than in the final work of the concert, Beethoven's Symphony No1 in C Major.
This is a bright and lively symphony, a introduction to the classical side of music for the uninitiated, but seldom does one hear such confidence and uniformity of playing outside the large professional orchestras.
We all appreciated, in particular, the confident mood of the slow opening of the first movement, developing rapidly into an effortless fortissimo. The second and third movements were played with grace but also agility whilst the cheerful fourth brought symphony to a triumphal conclusion.
The orchestra certainly deserved the prolonged applause it received with a special mention for the woodwind section.
All in all this was a popular programme with something for all tastes and a delightful evening, appropriate to the sudden change of weather!
We can look forward to the final concert of the season on July 14, when again a popular programme is offered, to include Weber's Clarinet Concerto No1.
Back to Reviews pageThe Misbourne Orchestra is supported by Chiltern District Arts Federation.
We are affiliated to Making Music (the National Federation of Music Societies).
The orchestra is a Registered Charity