Founded
1881
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REVIEW-
Nigel Ashdown-Watts
The fine orchestra was
enhanced for this programme, which also included ambitious works by Arnold
and Walton. Highly esteemed by the orchestra was the guest leader, Martin
Cannings, deputising for Mark Hartt-Palmer who played the Elgar
Concerto in B minor. The performance began broadly with a rich sonority of sound, but never lacking in forward motion. Slow tempi were to remain the benchmark throughout, and with a sensitive, uninhibited, though judicious use of rubato abiding, Elgar's ideas flowed naturally and seamlessly, to form a final edifice at which no 'Elgarian' could fail to marvel. Mr Hartt-Palmer's technical craftsmanship was coupled with a rare and unique sense of beauty, which, in stature and status, matched the composer's gifts of strategy and design. The first entry of the soloist in the Allegro introduced the listener to new colours from the master's palette, which recurred in many different shades and hues throughout the movement. The Andante caught the song-like nature of the second movement in a wonderfully wistful way, but the strength and power of the first movement still pervaded. This was arguably the most poetic movement; a gigantic force being conveyed by a delicacy and tenderness of ethereal expression which defies conventional techniques of analysis. The third movement, Allegro Molto, is the most difficult of the three, in purely technical terms, but Mark Hartt-Palmer was clearly unshaken by the heavy demands this music makes upon the soloist. With sound dynamic and rhythmic control, he created a sense of excitement where each phrase held the listener in suspense with bated breath, in anticipation of the next. Most seats were sold and that in a large Parish Church. There can be no doubt that the pot-pourri of subtle scents and shades were universally appreciated, as the audience stood to applaud and cheer for an encore. The latter was not forthcoming, but rightly so; music-making such as this deserves to abide in the memory, unsullied by 'lollipops' of lesser grandeur. With hindsight, it is easy to understand why the concerto was assigned to the whole of the second half of the programme. In short, the creative genius of the composer found very worthy trusteeship in the interpretative gifts of both soloist and conductor on this evening. |
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