Viennese classics from Charnwood Orchestra
THOSE who like their New Year’s Concert to be Viennese-style, with maximum Johann Strauss the younger, were well served by this year’s offering from the Charnwood Orchestra, at Humphrey Perkins School, Barrowupon-Soar, on January 18.
Of course, there was the Blue Danube, and many familiar Strauss waltzes, galopps and polkas, with one or two different choices from this vast and sumptuous repertoire. But one major and very welcome resource wellused this year was music from Johann Strauss II’s comic operetta Die Fledermaus, familiar to some from its use in Tom and Jerry!
The concert started strongly with the operetta’s overture, which includes one of Strauss’ most celebrated waltz themes, deliciously played. But later in the concert, we were treated to two arias from Die Fledermaus, sung by soprano Elizabeth Ryder, whose fabulous voice gave us brilliance, great clarity in these German texts, and engaging, expressive humour.
It was Elizabeth Ryder who also gave us the two pieces that did not come from the Strauss family, her fantastic voice giving the audience the treat of arias by Franz Léhar. Vilja’s song from The Merry Widow was richly sung, while the orchestra gave us the gentle background of harp and strings, alternating with a balanced, fuller orchestra. Later, she gave us an appropriately sensuous yet strong performance of ‘Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss’ (My lips, they kiss so hot) from Léhar’s Guiditta.
This year’s concert included the ‘Emperor Waltz’, which not only had a grand element, and of course a classic waltz, but also the subtle use of soloists and ensembles, and I particularly appreciated the lovely tone on the solo cello.
Other Strausses? We had a polka from Josef Strauss, and the concert ended with the traditional audience clapping for Johann Strauss the elder’s Radetsky March.