Breath-taking performance

Review by Kirsten Parry

Saturday 24th November 2018
The Capitol, Horsham

Dawn Richards: Shetland Storm (world premiere)
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 5 (soloist: Julian Trevelyan)
Holst: The Planets

With every ticket sold nearly over a month in advance of the concert, there was tangible anticipation amongst the orchestra and audience alike before accomplished conductor Steve Dummer took to the stage to introduce the evening’s vibrant and varied programme.

Dawn Richards’ Shetland Storm, a world premiere performance, gently launched us into a journey of discovery that one so often experiences when hearing new music. The tense opening double bass line gave way to tentatively imitated arpeggios in the wind section before the shimmering strings contributed to a beautifully Ionian atmosphere. There were some gorgeous tutti build ups in this piece with a realm of motivic extension and beautifully layered textures. It was a fitting and refreshing start to the concert, and a really impressive first contemporary classical work for orchestra from Dawn Richards.

Next, we were treated to an impressive and inconceivably technical performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.5 in G minor where Julian Trevelyan absolutely floored the audience with his virtuoso skill. All five movements of this energetic work exploited the entire range of the piano, with exciting antiphonal interplay from and between the orchestral sections. Whilst the first, third and fifth movements felt jovial and at times frantic, the second lay in contrast with a marching beat punctuated by the percussion section and the fourth brought a completely different mood with some beautiful, pensive simplicity and a real sense of being on an emotive yet somewhat playful journey. Julian, at some points playing so fast that his hands became a visible blur, demonstrated outstanding talent – especially for a musician so young. The excitement kept on coming as he treated us to a spontaneous encore, performing Poissons d’or by Debussy; this was warmly welcomed by the audience, who were unmistakably eager to hear more of Julian’s playing.

After the interval the atmosphere felt even more charged as we admired the complex stage set up for The Planets, the infamous orchestral suite by Gustav Holst. With two sets of timpani, two harps, the all-important Celeste and a beautifully ethereal-sounding off-stage choir, the orchestra was notably larger than usual, yet tutti passages were played as if the orchestra was one smooth melodic voice. The guidance and command of the orchestra by Steve Dummer deserves vast credit; he equipped these talented musicians to create a richly breath-taking and exciting performance. With the subtly powerful col legno opening played by the strings, Mars didn’t disappoint; followed by Venus where every musician simply shone, Mercury and its delicate and quirky bi-tonality and the much-awaited Jupiter whose principal hymnal theme swept through the theatre, stirring the already transfixed audience. It is a well-known fact that the orchestra reflects their conductor, and Steve’s buoyant direction coupled with the resultant, outstanding, sound from the orchestra was wonderful to witness. After Jupiter came doleful Saturn, which sighed into Uranus where the orchestra again provided a beautifully blended tone in the tutti sections. Skilfully performed harp harmonics highlighted these two movements, before distant and delicate Neptune rounded off an incredible second half of this exceptional programme. The growing silence as the choir died away was thick, tense and tangible; we waited with baited breath before Steve lay down his baton, the orchestra relaxed and the audience burst into applause. I can only offer my sincere thanks and greatest congratulations to HSO for such a varied and fantastic evening; it’s safe to say we’re all excited to see and hear what they do next.