Review of Concert: 05/07/05

The opening March engaged the audience immediately and all five movements showed off the many strengths of the orchestra. The long string phrases and gentle clarinet playing in the Canzonetta, the yodelling trumpet and flute in the Tirolese, the colourful and outstanding percussion in the Bolero (and whenever else they played) and the foot-tapping Tarantella were all splendid. The joy of music making came across as always but this is now being enhanced by an increasing discipline, typified in the precise starts and ends to each piece.

Jonathan York left his usual place as co-leader of the orchestra for this concert to perform Glazunov’s Violin Concerto. The score placed great demands on the performers and under Stephen Marquiss’ direction they came through with great credit. It is a stirring, romantic and at times virtuoso piece. The dark solo violin opening, which led on to gently throbbing woodwind chords, was well judged and immediately captured our attention. The extravagant cadenza at the end of the second movement was followed by trumpet fanfares heralding the way home through a spirited finale, which included technical fireworks from the soloist and all manner of orchestral colours in the accompaniment.

Gordon Jacob’s A Noyse of Minstrells, which opened the second half, was new to the audience and predominantly joyful. The opening flourish from the percussion was immaculate and other sections recalled Walton’s Henry V music; the sounds of a bygone age. The ensemble was taut throughout and the performance was spirited.

Frome Symphony is a way for local people to contribute to their own festival. This was taken a stage further in the premiere of Dream Variations by James Hobley, a Frome Community College student and one of the youngest members of the orchestra. The piece was a presentation of musical ideas, which made extensive and imaginative use of the orchestral colours available, taking us from a hypnotic opening section through a middle-Eastern bazaar en route to a final improvisatory piano section, which concluded the work. It was a fitting dream-like conclusion, in line with the whimsical concept of the piece.

We returned to more familiar territory for the finale with Bizet’s first Carmen Suite, which showed off the orchestra at its best. This included a spirited Aragonaise with good woodwind and perfectly shaped tambourine phrases. The harp playing of Julia Hammersley was a delight throughout the concert and was shown off well in the Intermezzo along with a lovely wash of horn sound and precisely bowed and plucked strings. Les Dragons d’Alcala was light and airy and Les Toreodors rounded off the concert in triumphant fashion.

Frome Symphony goes from strength to strength. Well done, Stephen Marquiss and players for another evening in which everyone was introduced to something new and immensely enjoyable.

Alan Burgess