Latest Reviews
- 19/01/11
- A Special Evening of Music
- The ‘very special evening of music’ promised in the programme for Orchestra West’s concert... (more)
Wake Up, Taunton!
Doesn't this town realise it's got a top-class symphony orchestra? A disappointingly small audience was in Kings College Chapel last Sunday for a first-rate concert from OrchestraWest conducted by John Cole.
The overture to Mozart's 'Magic Flute' opened majestically with perfect balance within the strings and with the rest of the ensemble. John launched into the first fugue at terrific speed, and the players were superbly with him all the way. This was a virtusoso performance, and presaged great things to come.
The Vaughan-Williams 'Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis' was next, and for this, John divided his forces into two physically separated groups of players, to accentuate the echo effect the composer wanted in places. This worked well, and the piece was given a telling performance. The string sound was truly gorgeous from full ensemble to the masterly string quartet, and the whole thing was a treat from start to finish.
The first half ended with the 1st Horn Concerto of Richard Strauss, the solo being played by Tessa White, the orchestra's principal horn. This is a swaggering warhorse of a work and the orchestra dived into it with great bravura and aplomb. Tessa's performance was admirable, her legato playing in particular. There were a few false notes however, and in places she wasn't brash enough (vulgar even!) to cut through the orchestral texture, but overall this was very enjoyable.
After the interval we heard probably the best known symphony of all, Beethoven's 5th. The famous first movement was tense and exciting, with marvellous sound. Only in a very few places were the strings slightly overpowered, but the overall effect was thrilling. I felt John's tempo in the slow movement was a little rigid, not allowing much subtlety in the sound, but every note was there and spot on.
The third movement tests the basses and cellos severely, and the conductor showed them no mercy with his exciting tempo in their fugal passage - this was wonderful, and the hairs stood up on my neck as the great C major tune of the finale roared out of the tense and mysterious section which precedes it. The finale was blazing and thunderous, yet the sheer musicality of the performance was not lost in gratuitous noise.
Well done OrchestraWest - not so well done Taunton. Come on, support this jewel in your midst.
Harold W. Mead
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