Review of Spring Concert 2010
SPRING CONCERT 2010
Saturday March 27th, 7.30pm
St Peter's Methodist Church
Conductor: Andrew Lowen
Soloist: Robin Wilson (violin)
This concert by the Canterbury Orchestra opened with Mozart’s overture to his opera Così fan tutte. Though perhaps not as fleet of foot in the frenetic main section as one might have wished, the whimsical spirit of the opera was reflected well with some nice touches by the woodwind and sensitive playing from the brass and timpani.
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the performance of the Bruch Violin Concerto No.1. The soloist, Robin Wilson, captured the audience from the very beginning with his sensitive playing of the opening cadenza-like passage. The ensuing first movement was played with a judicious blend of full-blooded passion and sweet lyricism by the solo violin, with deft accompanying by the orchestra, creating a fine ensemble balance. The emotional kernel of the work, the slow adagio movement, was shaped well by both soloist and orchestra, with impressive orchestral climaxes. The final movement could have been a little more light-footed, but overall it succeeded in communicating the essence of the gypsy folk-dance. The soloist displayed throughout this performance a sure command of the technical and emotional demands of the work. Both soloist and orchestra fully deserved the enthusiastic applause of the audience.
Brahms’s Serenade No.1 presents a more relaxed ambience than one might expect from this composer. The conductor, Andrew Lowen, projected well the mixture of youthful exuberance combined with more than a hint of symphonic rigour in the opening movement. The darker Nordic tones of the second (scherzo) and third (slow) movements were managed well by the orchestra, in particular by the horns and clarinets. The attention of the listener was somewhat lost during the elegiac third movement (perhaps the fault of the relatively inexperienced Brahms rather than of the orchestra), but was fully regained in the penultimate and final movements, characterised by spirited rhythmic playing, especially by the strings, bringing the concert to an exciting conclusion.
Dr Michael Chandler
Next Concert
Saturday March 31st at 7.30 pm
St Peter's Methodist Church, Canterbury CT1 2BE
Our next concert features a selection of works by Franz Schubert and Richard Strauss, composers who effectively bracket the Romantic school of art music, with Schubert (1797-1828) as one of its pioneers and Strauss (1864-1949) one of its most notable 20th Century adherents. The programme begins with Schubert’s Quartettsatz, arranged for orchestra by our Musical Director Andrew Lowen; originally composed in 1820 as the first movement of a twelfth string quartet which was never completed, like several other works during this difficult period of Schubert’s life. Strauss’ Oboe Concerto was written in 1945 during the final stages of his career and is considered one of the finest works ever composed for the instrument; we are very pleased to welcome Rosie Lowen as soloist. In contrast, the Serenade for 13 Winds is amongst his earliest works and is clearly modelled on Mozart’s Gran Partita, to which it stands as a fitting tribute. Schubert’s Symphony no.6 is also an early work written when the composer was 20; exuberant, assured and clearly reflecting the musical ethos of the time with echoes of Haydn, Beethoven and Rossini. Tickets are £9.00 for adults and only £3.00 for children of school age and students. They are available on the door, from the Secretary on 01227 751196, and online through WeGotTickets by clicking on the button below..
Interested in playing with the Canterbury Orchestra?
Call Nicky Pound, Canterbury Orchestra Manager on 01304 812755 or email us to find out whether we have vacancies.
