Bristol Choral Society
Bristol Cathedral
BRISTOL’S Symphony Orchestra brought a programme by four English composers which suited the resonant acoustics well.
Peter Cowdery’s whimsical musical ‘take’ on Brexit, Bremani, started the evening. This was its UK premiere, though composed in 2016 immediately after the referendum. It took us on a whistlestop musical tour of Europe including references to Scotland (bagpipes) and England (snippets of Lark Ascending). The musical riot was superbly led by violin soloist Charles Mutter.
Holst’s masterpiece Egdon Heath followed – a bleak and mysterious quasi-Impressionist work, dark and sombre. Here the excellent interpretation by conductor William Goodchild was enhanced both by lighting effects and monochrome pictures of a ‘heath’ projected behind the orchestra.
The UK premiere of Guy Barker’s Concerto in One Act completed the first half, with Charles Mutter (violin) as soloist, and for whom it was written in 2016. A brief commentary from the soloist and programme notes helped the audience make sense of the fairly elusive and uncompromisingly modern style – especially in the angularity and aggressiveness of the first section. Whilst this was fairly inaccessible at first hearing, I felt this was a work of great integ- rity. Certainly Mutter’s dazzling virtuosity made an enthralling spectacle.
The main work in the programme was Vaughan William’s Fifth Symphony. Drawing on themes from the composer’s unfinished opera Pilgrim’s Progress, the work breathes an unparalleled serenity which conductor William Goodchild captured with unerring accuracy. Writ large in this symphony is VW’s immersion in English folk music and his editing of the English Hymnal (1906).
The Scherzo was perhaps a little restrained in tempo, so that the snarling brass interjections didn’t have quite the bite I was expecting. The third movement was sim- ply exquisite – the opening cor anglais solo quite ravishing set against the hushed strings block chords. The hymn tune that has hovered above so much of the work finally takes shape, and the ‘arrival’ at the Celestial City was accomplished with admirable delicacy and sensitivity – the orchestra at its very best.