20th Century pieces mixed with classics by orchestra
THE Loughborough Orchestra continued its progress as conductor Trevor Lax stretched the players with a couple of fun, 20th Century pieces.
But first, a confident, powerful start, with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture, its counterpoint played with accuracy and elegance.
Second was Malcolm Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances, a lovely playful set, nicely realised. The opening dance was strong, with the rhythmic ‘Scotch snap’ scored for muscular brass, as befits a trumpet-playing composer. The second dance was energetic contrasted with the amusingly languid bassoon, the harp and strings shaping the third, and then a sparkling finish.
Then came Ole Olsen’s Trombone Concerto, which was new to me. Late romantic, with pleasing, lyrical tunes, well worth a hearing. The soloist, Rhiannon Symonds, played this confidently, and with polish, style and sub- tlety. Vibrant when the music demanded it, but quite capable of playing with gentleness and feeling, so that she achieved a wonderful balance with the orchestra.
After the interval we were treated to one of the major works of the repertoire, Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony (No.4 in A). The familiar opening theme on the strings was finely played, and the orchestra proficient in its performance of this ever-popular symphony. The expressive Andante, with its leading phases from violas, oboes, bassoons, and answering from the rest, gloriously underpinned by cellos and double basses, was movingly played.
The third movement, in 3/4 time was an elegantly performed minuet. And the last movement was taken at quite a pace by conductor Trevor Lax, conductor and players succeeding in providing an exhilarating finale.