University’s anniversary concert

Purists might argue that a concert to mark the 50th anniversary of a university should be a staid and sober affair, writes Garry Fraser, but Graeme Stevenson has other ideas.

To commemorate 50 years of Dundee University, he provided a Caird Hall audience with quite a mixture from dignified Brahms to mischief and mayhem with Whitacre’s Godzilla Eats Las Vegas.

For the occasion, Graeme drafted in some experience both vocally and instrumentally, and this reaped rich rewards.

The orchestra were a lot tighter than I’d heard them before, and so Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture and the first Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg were extremely well performed.

The choir were also stronger and definitely in the mood for Orff’s Carmina Burana, with an opening O Fortuna that was dynamic and enthusiastic. Some of the diction was lost on occasion but that didn’t detract from a fine performance.

I’m afraid I can’t say the same about all three soloists, of whom baritone Phil Gault was by a far way the best.

You can trust Graeme to include something off the radar and the Godzilla piece made for lots of fun for the choir and orchestra. Sound effects, a bizarre story-line, musical mayhem and a series of sometimes comical stills made for a strange end to the evening.

But for strange, read most enjoyable, although it probably goes in the “not-want-to-hearagain” category.