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| Tom’s star burns bright |
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REVIEW - NEW PROFESSIONALS ORCHESTRA
St John at Hampstead By JANE WILD
BARBER, Beethoven and Brahms were the three composers whose popular
works were presented in this concert.
Barber’s Adagio for Strings is undeniably his most famous piece,
in recent years even in the charts after a reworking from Madonna’s
pop-maestro producer William Orbit.
New to professional playing they may be, but many of the young members
of the New Professionals Orchestra have already played for top orchestras.
Led by conductor Rebecca Miller, they lent the poignant Adagio an
appropriate gravitas. Save the odd wobble when the strings and woodwind
weren’t perfectly together, the overall sound was superbly
blended, the volume rising and falling so seamlessly it was like
hearing the volume knob twiddled on a stereo.
Beethoven’s Violin Concerto was no less substantial a challenge
for Hampstead-raised soloist Thomas Gould.
A recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Music, he has already
garnered international prizes for his playing. His measured, graceful
style was well suited to piece.
Some of his phrases were crafted with such porcelain delicacy it
made me want to give everything up to learn the violin. Unfortunately,
tonight he was hampered by the occasional wolf note, which is where
the instrument glitches and the string fails to resonate properly.
But this couldn’t detract from an overall assured performance
that even won admiring, resounding applause from the orchestra’s
brass players.
The orchestra went on to establish their position as one to watch
with a precise rendition of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony an apt
choice for the season for its wistful autumnal melodies. What this
ensemble lack in experience they more than make up for with the
energy that infuses their playing.
Left-wing icon will open night
PREVIEW - MANA
St James’s
FORMER Labour cabinet minister Tony Benn is to appear at a concert
on Saturday to make an address.
Just as the government prepares to make announcements on Britain’s
nuclear deterrent, the former energy minister will be at St James’s,
Piccadilly, to speak before a concert by the Musicians Against Nuclear
Arms Chamber Orchestra (Mana).
This is not just a two-bit musical outfit, Mana has won many plaudits
and fans and this concert will be conducted by Paul Watkins, the
first prize winner of the Leeds International Conductors’ Competition
in 2002.
And soloists include Marianne Thorsen on violin, Lawrence Power
on viola and Tony Lamb on clarinet, performing Rossini’s Overture
to Il Signor Brushino, Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for violin,
viola and orchestra, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 and Baermann’s
Adagio of Clarinet and strings.
Call 020 8455 1030 and see listings.
Persian charity
PREVIEW - PERSIAN MASTERS
St John’s, Smith SQ
THE historic church on Smith Square that is one of London’s
premiere concert venues normally hosts chamber orchestras and soloists
but this week it is presenting something completely different.
On Sunday vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian is joined by musicians
playing traditional Persian instruments, string instruments the
tar and setar, the kamancheh, similar to the lute and tombak, a
goblet drum, in a concert.
The concert will be entirely improvised by the four performers and
will no doubt be fascinating.
The concert is raising money for the earthquake victims in Bam.
For more information ring 020 7222 1061. |
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