Great show, shame about the setting
and Hayden Lauridsen (drums) demonstrating considerable musical prowess as they presented their interpretation of Debussy’s Golliwog’s Cakewalk and Grieg’s Morning. The audience was even encouraged to join in and hum.
Hannah Fang (violin) joined the line-up for Dvorak’s Humoresque and although her electric violin may have been a little dominant in the mix, her superb musicianship was obvious throughout – beautifully complementing the work of those around her.
The programme continued with the Paganini’s popular Caprice, here given a magnificent rhythmic reinterpretation led by Hayden Lauridsen and followed by Neville Lauridsen’s wonderful flugel horn solo – Traumerei.
Also included was a smart solo rendition of the second movement of Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata by Dann himself, the programme closing with this ensemble’s take on Puccini’s popular Nessun Dorma.
As the audience knew these works so well, this was a considerable challenge for the ensemble, but the group’s obvious musicianship and unflagging imagination shone through throughout the afternoon, completely winning the audience’s admiration and respect
It is just a pity that such respect was not extended by Globe Theatre management, especially when presenting a series that carries their own name.
They left a surprised Guy Donaldson to apologise to the audience for the state of the theatre as this ensemble was forced to play among the remnants of a recent stage production. This meant that the concert’s necessary intimacy was sadly lacking, while Dann and Fang were largely playing in shadow due to the restrictions of the stage lighting.