Classical
choice
Monday, 1st
March 2004
(Article published with kind permission of Northeast Press
Limited,
Sunderland Echo)
THE
Sunderland Symphony Orchestra attracted a large audience to West Park
Church, Park Lane, for its fourth anniversary concert ‑ despite the
deplorable weather.
The
programme of classical favourites, ideally chosen for the event, featured
guest soprano Deborah Sumner.
The orchestra began confidently with Mozart's Marriage of Figaro Overture,
which set the scene for Deborah's arias from the same opera. She sounded
vocally at ease and her intonation and shaping of musical phrase proved
almost faultless.
The performance of Dove Sono,
one of Mozart's most beautiful arias, made a deep impression. Later items
by Puccini and Franck were also well sung and greatly appreciated.
David McCourt, the Orchestra's young leader, then took the spotlight for
Mozart's fifth violin concerto (first movement). David, having made
remarkable progress, gave us a neatly articulated and musically
artistic presentation. The only reservation was that the orchestra did
not make quite enough of the dynamic contrasts.
Ponchielli's ballet suite,
Dance of the Hours, depicts the eternal struggle between darkness and
light. Rupert Hanson's judicious tempos and in‑depth reading ensured a
true interpretation. A snappy rendition of the March from Star Wars
signalled the interval.
Works by Tchaikovsky
dominated the second half. Starting with Marche Slave, woodwind and brass
sections were very effective, the over-riding mood of solemnity being
enhanced by the rich sonority of the strings. Excitingly, the work ended
in a jubilant climax.
The Nutcracker ballet,
descriptive of toys coming to life at a child's Christmas party captured
the imagination. Mood changes and contrasts in tone colour throughout four
selected excerpts received sensitive treatment.
One was aware of the
occasional slip and lapses in precision but, these apart, the orchestra is
to be commended on the quality of music‑making achieved, the culmination
of which was the dramatic 1812 Overture.
Roy Horabin
Return to Reviews
Index
