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Reviews
2001-2002
Season
The
Civic Concert
Friday 12 October 7.30pm Guildford Civic
Surrey
Advertiser
Friday 19 October 2001
Polished
start to new Philharmonic season
Conductor
James Lockhart drew a remarkably polished performance from the
Guildford Philharmonic for the Civic Concert marking the start
of the new season on Friday last week.
Quiet
and dignified on the rostrum, his control was subtle but enormously
effective. The programme of Shostakovish, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky
demanded, for example, a particularly high standard of brass playing
for the exposed fanfares. But there was never even a hint at a
cracked note or a muddy entry.
The
section played with outstanding clarity and accuracy, leaving
daylight around the phrasing that contributed to a sense of overall
discipline and purpose.
Shostakovich's
Festival Overture made a suitably impressive welcome for
the 11 mayors of Surrey boroughs who were guests of Guildford
Borough Council.
Lockhart
took the orchestra at a smart, bright, pace creating a sense of
urgency and excitement. All sections articulated cleanly and exuded
enthusiasm and confidence.
The
soloist for Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
was Cuban virtuoso Jorge Luis Prats, who has a terrific following
in Guildford, built up over many years of very generous music-making.
His
fluency and technical mastery invite superlatives, but they are
the servants of his sensivity to interpretation. The details are
immaculate, but he also creates a sense of the shape of the whole
work. Light and shade, delicacy and stridency, the piano becomes
a very large and expressive instrument in his hands.
Orchestra
manager Nicola Goold likes concerts to be memorable events, and
Prats is the ideal soloist as he so enjoys performing, that he
willingly sits down again at the keyboard for a succession of
humorous encores that lighten the traditional seriousness of a
classical concert. This glad sharing of his brilliant talent has
won him many friends here.
The
concert ended with Tchaikovsky's Symphony no. 4 in F minor,
a big work where again, Lockhart's concern for clean phrasing,
moments of bright silence and thoughtful ensemble playing paid
dividends.
The
woodwind solos, the brass flourishes and pizzicato strings were
extremely neatly executed while avoiding clinical detachment.
There was plenty of atmosphere and under the leadership of the
excellent violinist David Towse, string tone was responsive and
warm.
Altogether
a most promising start to the concert season, although the Civic
sadly continues to show its age. Roll on the new concert hall.
Jane Garrett
Bach's
Magnificat
Saturday
27 October 7.30pm
Holy Trinity Church,
High Street, Guildford
Surrey
Advertiser
Friday 3 November 2001
Upbeat
Bach from the Philharmonic
Bach
with the Guildford Philharmonic at Holy Trinity Church on Saturday
was welcome relief from the gloom of endless rain and ominous
world news. It was so very determinedly cheerful.
The
upbeat programme covered Bach's Cantata: Preise, Jerusalem,
den Herrn, the Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G and his magnificent
Magnificat, conducted by Nicholas Kraemer.
Guildford
Camerata demonstrated its experience and confidence immediately,
launching the cantata with splendid exultant tones and a super
top line. Brass always superb in Holy Trinity and the fanfares
added to the mood of triumph and jollity. The Philharmonic brass
is in very good voice at the moment and the articulation and accuracy
of phrasing was excellent throughout.
Tenor
Charles Daniels' voice was warm and expressive and bass Matthew
Hargreaves produced an unexpectedly big and rich tone.
Soprano
Ruth Holton's voice was lovely, clear as a bell, liquid and unforced,
but alto Timothy Brown's beautifully precise and well phrased
performance was brittle in contrast. However it worked surprisingly
well in the Magnificat Suscepit Israel, where he sang in a trio
with Holton and fellow soprano Patrizia Kwella.
The
two sopranos had very different voices too, but they complemented
each other in duet.
Gaby
Lester was an exuberant guest leader and solo violinist for the
Brandenburg, playing with flute soloists Kate Hill and Anna Pyne.
The
joyful swaggering ornamentation of the cantata led naturally into
the energetic concerto and Lester performed the difficult violin
solos with panache, ably supported by the flautists.
Bach's
Magnificat is a super work, uplifting and very challenging
to sing. Kraemer kept it fizzing, light and bouncy until the Camerata
was given an open throttle for a display of impressive voice-power.
The
audience loved it and went home on a high.
Jane Garrett
Beethoven
& Berlioz
Friday 9 November 7.30pm Guildford
Civic
Surrey
Advertiser
Friday 3 November 2001
Close
to perfection
Mastery
of the orchestra and the ability to create fascinating sonorities
from it: these attributes were common to both Beethoven and Berlioz,
the composers featured in last Friday's Guildford Philharmonic
concert at the Civic.
As
its spurious title might suggest, Beethoven's Emperor is
the largest in scale of any of his piano concertos, the most far-ranging
in mood, and the most imaginative in its sonorities.
Bold,
confident themes contrast with figuration of the utmost delicacy
and many times the same tune is given both treatments and more.
So throughout the three movements, the expansive first, the tender
central movement and the rollicking finale, there is scope for
the utmost variety of texture.
John
Lill came close to being the perfect interpreter. His formidable
technique made it all sound so easy and enjoyable. And in those
magical passages where the piano and the orchestra creep along
together, he drew from his instrument a wonderful limpid tone.
Under Frank Shipway the Guildford Philharmonic provided a sensitive
and capable foil to the piano.
The
Symphonie Fantastique is the incredible creation of a love-sick
young man.
Throughout
the work Berlioz's love for the Irish actress Harriet Smithson
is depicted by a languid tune which is subjected to all kinds
of fascinating transformations.
The
five-movement symphony is an immensely colourful work, abounding
in orchestral techniques far in advance of their time. For all
the marvels of modern recordings, this work must be heard in the
concert hall. Only a live performance can deliver the full impact
of blaring trombones and horns and screeching high E flat clarinets.
Not to mention shimmering strings and harp together (un bal),
a chorus of four timpani and a solitary cor anglias waiting for
an answer which fails to return (scene aux champs), a tune
chopped about between different instruments (marche au supplice),
and violins screeching from the wooden side of the bow in a terrifying
depiction of hell (songe d'une nuit de Sabbat).
Frank Shipway controlled his forces with rigour, resulting in
a tight, disciplined performance that was all the more thrilling
for that.
Shelagh Godwin
Baroque
by Candlelight
Friday 16 & Saturday 17 November 7.30pm
Holy Trinity Church,
High Street, Guildford
Surrey
Advertiser
Friday 23 November 2001
Intimate
Baroque
Guildford's
concert audiences are being treated more and more as one half
of a warm musical partnership by the Philharmonic Orchestra.
On
Friday last week, in the welcoming glow of the candles in Holy
Trinity Church, director and violinist Andrew Watkinson, drew
the audience into what felt like spontaneous chamber music-making.
His
enthusiasm and vivacity were infectious. The programme was baroque,
featuring Vivaldi, a work doubtfully attributed to Pergolesi,
plus Purcell, Bach, Bonporti and Handel.
Vivaldi's
familiar Flute Concerto Il Gardellino immediately created
a good atmosphere. Solo flautist, Jane Pickles, made the most
of the descriptive naturalistic writing, playing freely with a
relaxed, liquid, warbling tone and fine flourishes, crisply supported
by the Guildford Philharmonic ensemble.
The
not-Pergolesi was interesting, scored for four violin parts and
sounding more spontaneous than rehearsed. But it was definitely
worth its airing and it would be good to hear it again.
The
ensemble's performance of Purcell's excerpts from King Arthur
was noticeably more polished, and full of rhythm and life.
The
soprano soloist was Sally Dunkley, whose pure and unforced tone
was pefect for the baroque style, though it was a shame the words
were not always clearly articulated.
The
German of Bach's Cantata BWV 82a gave her a more secure footing,
and Watkinson led the ensemble with spirit and sensitivity. His
skill in making cross-string gymnastics sound melodious, and his
ability to bring out the phrasing were put to good effect in Bonporti's
Concerto a Quattro and Handel's Concerto Grosso in
A minor.
The
concert was sponsored by Borax, which announced at the reception
afterwards, that it was entering its third three-year partnership
with the Guildford Philharmonic.
Jane Garrett
The
Glory of Christmas
Saturday 8 December 7.30pm Guildford
Cathedral
Surrey
Advertiser
Friday 14 November 2001
Vaughan
Williams would surely have approved
Vaughan
Williams said of Guildford Cathedral: "It must have good
music", and he would surely have approved of the performance
of his Fantasia on Christmas Carols by the Guildford Camerata,
Guildford Chamber Choir, and the Guildford Philharmonic on Saturday,
conducted by Barry Rose.
Ken
Burgess (baritone) was in fine voice, and his rich warm tone was
complemented by the cello of Peter Esswood, with the combined
choirs providing the ideal musical balance in the demanding musical
line with their exciting fortissimo and also a most effective
hushed finish.
For
the Christmas music of Handel's Messiah, David Wholey (alto)
and Lynda Russell (soprano) joined Ken Burgess in the arias, with
the combined choirs again ideally balanced, the sopranos in particular
singing with great warmth and rhythmical accuracy, particularly
in the less well-known chorus And he shall purify.
The
frisson of excitement at the brass entry in Glory to God
was heightened by the slight distancing of the players in the
corner of the crossing, enhancing their rich tone.
But
perhaps the most effective contribution to the programme, The
Glory of Christmas, was the choir's opening carol A child
was born in Bethlehem (Scheidt), sung with fine control of
rhythm and dynamic, and with evident joy.
We
also heard Corell's Christmas Concerto, although not all
the string section could keep pace with the superb articulation
of Peter Esswood's cello.
Arguably
the evening's most memorable event, however, was Lynda Russell's
interpretation of Handel's newly-discovered Gloria.
Her
variation and range of vocal tone, from the plangent sustained
lines in the Amen combined to us a spellbinding performance.
A
bouquet also to the programme compilationer: Ample, informative
notes with appropriate histoical content. - a model of its kind.
Michael Barry
A
Night in Vienna
Friday 18 January 7.30pm Guildford
Civic
Surrey
Advertiser
Friday 8 February 2002
Orchestra plays
Vienna
The
Guildford Civic entertained its most glamorous audience of the
year so far as the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra presented
A Night in Vienna to a capacity house adorned in masks, feather
boas and silk dresses.
This is the fifth annual event at the Civic, taking its lead from
the traditional new year's concerts in Vienna.
Directing
the concert was violinist and conductor John Bradbury, an expert
in the Viennese repertoire, introducing the items, contributing
some memorable gipsy violin solos, and ensuring that the orchestra,
under guest leader David Towse, was immersed in the idiosyncratic
Austrian style.
In
the first half, Ian Scott, principal clarinet of the Royal Ballet
Sinfonia, gave a brilliant performance of Weber's showy Clarinet
Concertino.
A
sparkling interpretation of Heuberger's Opera Ball Overture
before the interval made an ideal link with the 19th century Viennese
music of the second half.
John
Bradbury's solos in Fritz Kreisler's Liebesleid and the
traditional Zingaro Amoroso were superb, making a fine
contrast with the waltzes and polkas.
Three
encores included the lyrical Violin Maker of Cremona
and Strauss's Tik Tak Polka.
Totally
Mozart
Saturday 8 February 7.30pm
Holy Trinity Church,
High Street, Guildford
Surrey
Advertiser
Friday 15 February 2002
Church concert conjures early Mozart magic
The
elegance, refinement, precison shot through with passion of the
music of Mozart drew a large audience to Holy Trinity Church,
Guildford, for a concert of his music.
All
the music presented had been last Friday by the Guildford Philharmonic,
had been written before Mozart was 22. And what a delight it was.
The
Guildford Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra produced a cohesive sound
throughout, directed from the violin, as might have happened in
Mozart's day.
The
Cassation in G - a piece composed by Mozart when he was
12 was full of surprising orchestral textures and unpredictable
quirks of harmony and melody.
Afterwards
the concert master Paul Barritt, was joined by his brother Jonathan
for a remarkable performance of the Sinfonia Concertante
for violin and viola.
This
extraordinary piece plunges again and again into melancholy, almost
despair, enhanced by the plangent sounds of horns and oboes used
to remarkable effect.
Mozart's
cadenzas blended effectively with the extensions provided in the
1920s by the great violinist Lionel tertis giving scope for some
brilliant double stopping on the part of the soloists.
Throughout
their playing was inspired, the tone rich and full, their commitment
to the music total.
The
Adagio in E is an exceptionally beautiful substitute for
the central movement of Mozart's best-known violin concerto, in
A.
In
the resonant acoustic the muted violins produced an ephereal accompaniment
to the limpid tones of the soloist. Although frequently performed,
the Symphony no. 29 in A never loses its freshness and
charm.
The
horns in particular excelled themselves at the top of their range.
And from the orchestra as a whole, there was a taut control, an
exquisite accuracy, which in turn led to a feeling of sheer enjoyment
and gay abandon.
Shelagh Godwin
Mozart
& Rutter
Saturday 9 March7.30pm Guildford
Cathedral
What's
On
Friday 22 March 2002
Rutter
premiere
Where sensitivity gets a starring role
The
wind whistled around the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit during
the UK premiere of John Rutter's Feel the Spirit.
Accompanied
by the Guildford Camerata, the Guildford Chamber Choir and the
Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the composer, these
delightful arrangements of seven favourite spirituals were performed
by the dedicatee, mezzo soprano Melanie Marshall.
Each
of these skilful arrangements aptly reflects the spirit of the
words, with allusions to jazz, blues and soul music.
The
familiar strains of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot crept in at
one moment, and Glory, Glory Hallelujah! at another. Rutter
is not afraid of writing or adapting a good tune.
It
was a beautiful, affecting performance. This music was perfectly
suited to Melanie Marshall's interpretation and she varied the
timbre of her voice to great effect.
The
result was an alluring combination of yearing and joy - yearing
in the poignant Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
with its lovely cor anglais solo, joy in the words which gave
the piece its title Ev'ry time I feel the spirit which
swung along with wonderful abandon. Choir and orchestra were incisive
throughout, with strong dynamic contrasts. No wonder an encore
was demanded, a subtle arrangement, with some superb flute playing,
of Skylark.
The
concert began with the well-known Requiem by Mozart. A
refreshing addition to the orchestral colour was the use of basset
horns, for which Mozart wrote.
There
was some lack of orchestral cohesion at the very beginning, but
fine articulation later from the choir. A lovely sense of rise
and fall in the Agnus Dei lifted what was otherwise a brisk,
workmanlike performance.
Of
the soloists, soprano Joanne Lunn produced a warm, rounded tone,
mezzo Melanie Marshall sang with great sensitivity, tenor John
Bowley likewise, despite a tendancy to force his voice, while
bass Stuart Young compensated for a light voice with some excellent
phrasing.
It
is a credit to them that four such contrasting voices should have
blended as one in the exquisite vocal quartets.
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