| home | concerts | for members | patrons / sponsors | admin | news | history |
| map of Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries |
Easterbrook Hall, The Crichton
Dumfries
7 November 2010
Conductor - Geoff Keating
Tuba - Les Neish
Programme :
Rossini :
Overture - The Thieving Magpie
Sibelius :
Suite - Karelia
Vaughan Williams :
Tuba Concerto
Dvoràk :
Symphony No 8 in G
Review published in the local press following the concert:
"A large, appreciative audience braved the buffeting of wind and rain to hear the SolwaySinfonia last Sunday at the Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries.
The opener - Rossini's overture 'The Thieving Magpie'- received a creditable performance , though I would have welcomed a little more swagger and sparkle at times.
No such reservations about Sibelius' Karelia Suite, however. The opening with horns and tremolando strings, the beautiful cor anglais solo in the Ballade ( accompanied by pizzicato cellos and basses), and the bracing rhythms of the Alla Marcia were highlights.
The youthful and ebullient Les Neish was the soloist in Vaughan-Williams' Tuba Concerto. In the inventive and extrovert first movement his tone, articulation, and breath-control (particularly noticeable in the cadenza) were outstanding. The second movement -for me -didn't quite work musically, due to what I felt was a problematic balance between soloist and orchestra. In contrast, the finale was an exciting 'helter-skelter ride' - with the music's mercurial ebb and flow expertly moulded by the conductor.
Neish's solo encore, featuring beat-box rhythms, harmonics , and singing (and whooping) through the instrument, elicited a tumult of applause to rival the gathering storm outside.
Dvorak's 8th Symphony (played with the erstwhile soloist sitting in at the tuba desk) is wonderful music. If you are a music lover reading this and neither attended the concert (why?) nor know the work - give it a listen!
Dvorak wanted to do 'something new' here, and, although built on the foundations laid by Beethoven and Brahms, this symphony is anything but predictable! Orchestra and conductor took its changing moods, rhythms and dynamics in their stride; shaping each movement into a coherent whole. Eloquent strings (with a special mention for the cellos), muscular brass (negotiating some tricky passages), evocative woodwind, and some dramatic 'timpani moments' characterised the first movement.
The Adagio's progress through peaceful contemplation, foreboding and joyful affirmation was effectively charted. The interaction between flute, paired clarinets, and strings was memorable here.
I particularly enjoyed the third movement: it's melody and soaring counter melody, the violins extra 'lift' and scrunch at the beginning of the major 'trio-section,' and its buoyant rhythms.
The last movement, opening with a beautifully placed and articulated trumpet fanfare, did not disappoint either, and with an exciting rush to the final fortissimo chord, the concert came to a stirring conclusion."
John Duncan