HSO: Another class performance

Review by Bob Eagle
1 July 2017
The Capitol, Horsham

Nicolai: Overture to the Merry Wives of Windsor
Adriano Adewale: Suite Dialogues (world premiere)
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances Op. 45

This was another class performance from Horsham’s very talented symphony orchestra (leader Barry Sutton) to a near-capacity audience at the Capitol. And it included a world premiere performance.

I personally like orchestral concerts to start with a short lively piece, so Nicolai’s Overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor fitted the bill perfectly. The orchestra tackled the piece with panache. From the ethereal opening, the orchestra moved nicely into the first main theme. The light passages which followed skipped along in the dance style they conveyed. There was a clear sense of excitement in the middle of the piece and a clever contrast in style between the light dance sections and the slower more ponderous parts. And of course, the whole orchestra stepped up a gear at the climax. It was a splendid opening for what was to follow.

Suite Dialogues was a world premiere performance of a work by Adriano Adewale specially commissioned for the Horsham Symphony Orchestra as part of the Adopt a Composer partnership run by Making Music in partnership with Sound and Music, in association with BBC Radio 3, and funded by the PRS for Music Foundation and the Philip and Dorothy Green Trust. The performance was recorded for BBC Radio 3. I feel sorry for today’s composers. They have to avoid the pitfalls of simply writing in the style of what has already gone before or of being so avant-garde that they command little general interest. Adriano Adewale has done an excellent job. The programme notes tell us that Suite Dialogues is a piece about communication and openness. It was fresh, fascinating, and fun. And full marks to the orchestra - and especially the percussion section - for managing the complex rhythms so effectively. A relatively short piece that could perhaps be further developed. It certainly deserves to be featured in other orchestras' repertoire.

After the interval, the HSO performed Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances. Rachmaninov was the last of the great Romantic Russian composers with rich orchestrations, emotional melodies and dense harmonies.

In the first movement, which incidentally is marked ‘non allegro’ (not fast), the HSO captured the energetic martial opening theme with rhythmic vivacity. The strings added to the ghostly feel of the piece before the orchestra returned to the dramatic military theme with gusto.

The second movement is a waltz, opening with a brass fanfare, very well executed by the orchestra’s brass section. The orchestra nicely managed the transition between the lilting and sad melody which followed, with its increasing twists and turns - for which the woodwind section in particular are to be congratulated - into the altogether more sinister and punchy ending of the movement.

The third and final movement is the culmination of the piece. It began with an explosive statement of the Dies Irae (day of judgment) with great sound from the brass and timpani. The orchestra gave a very sympathetic treatment to the main part of this movement which is a musical setting of the theme of wrath and judgment. But just when it seems that death has won the day the orchestra moved up another gear to the final section (almost Lone Rangerish!) which represents the triumph of life over death.

Throughout, Steve Dummer the highly acclaimed conductor kept the orchestra under fine control; his easy style of communicating with the audience complimenting his style of conducting. As my conducting teacher used to say: "As you are, so shall the music be".

Overall, it was a most enjoyable evening warmly appreciated by the audience and providing further proof of the amazing musical skills in this very talented orchestra.