If you were told that the concert you were about to attend had a programme of only one composer, you would be worried that after the first few pieces you would expect to be craving for something different. However, in the concert on Saturday the programme of works by Elgar and no other composer contained such varieties of style, expression and sound that the audience was easily held transfixed throughout the performance.
Works included ‘The Wand of Youth Suite No. 1’, ‘Coronation March’, ’Pomp and Circumstances Marches nos.3 and 5 and Symphony No.1. The Cambridge Student Symphony Orchestra directed by Simon Armitage really brought the composer’s works alive. At times you could feel a gentle, warm sun on your face in the quintessentially, verdant English countryside. There were moments when one felt convinced that the composer himself was there, especially when the orchestra revelled confidently in Elgar’s powerful expansive sound. Moods varied significantly from cheerfulness and jauntiness to grandeur or a sense of foreboding as in the first symphony which heralded the Second World War.
Symphony no.1 was indeed the peak of this wonderful concert. In this work particularly, the members of the orchestra demonstrated how they and Elgar could move easily from mood extremes: from sadness, to sinister undercurrents or sheer unadulterated joy. They showed too the capacity to explore the most beautiful and powerful aspects of orchestration in all sections: strings, woodwind, brass and percussion.
This was indeed a splendid event.
It was pleasing to see the famous composer and musician Dr Arthur Wills with his son Colin In the audience. Simon Armitage and Graham Austin and were able to reminisce in the interval for Simon featured in the Ely Arts Festival in the 1980s when Graham was the chair.
News and Reviews by RJWestwell 