During the opening item,
Beethoven's dramatic Leonora Overture number three, it became apparent
that the musicians were clearly in rapport with their conductor,
Rupert Hanson.
To mark the 250th
anniversary of Mozart's birth, Katrina Campbell, guest soprano from
Murton, sang excerpts from the Marriage of Figaro and Magic Flute
operas. Coping confidently with all technical demands, Katrina was
loudly applauded.
Flautist Robert McBlane
also chose Mozart. His rendition of the first movement from the Flute
Concerto in G, brought out the simple beauty of this attractive work.
Other attributes included impeccable intonation, virtuosity and
artistry, while balance with the orchestra was neatly dovetailed. His
final cadenza was breathtaking.
The East End Sing-a-long
Chorus has gone from strength to strength since its inception 18 months
ago. The Hebrew Slaves Chorus sung with commitment and warmth had a
memorable impact, thanks also to sympathetic orchestral support.
Tchaikovsky's Sleeping
Beauty Waltz took us into the interval. Enthusiastic audience reception
confirmed that this ballet music has never lost its charm.
Mendelssohn wrote his
famous Wedding March for
Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. From the fanfares
onward, one could imagine happy couples in procession to the floral hall
of marriage. I sensed it had nostalgic appeal too.
Katrina's pure voice was
again heard in two of Puccini's arias. Where required, her loudest
passages soared above the orchestra without coarseness.
The orchestra produced a
nobility of sound in Elgar's Nimrod variation. Well-controlled dynamics
built up to a strong climax ‑ effective amid the Minster's lofty
acoustics, before fading to a hushed ending.
The choir displayed
enthusiasm in Vaughan Williams's Psalm 100 and Parry's Jerusalem, which
encouraged hearty audience participation.
Rupert chose an ideal
ending to the concert, with Finlandia. This colourful tone poem by
Sibelius never fails to rouse its listeners.
All in all, musical
standards were consistently high and imperfections few and far between.
