Publicity

Boston Sinfonia’s programme last Saturday was a menu likely to leave everyone, audience and performers, satisfied and happy. First course, with a rustic character – three dances from Smetana’s opera “The Bartered Bride”. The Czech flavour is irresistible. I guess we all wanted to sway and hop to the folk tune rhythms this composer used in his music. Sadly audiences are conditioned to avoid such natural responses! The performances of the three pieces were beautifully judged – hard to believe there were no clowns there performing ever more audacious acrobatics in the third, the Dance of the Comedians.

Then to follow  - Weber’s first clarinet concerto a piece written in 1811 for virtuoso Heinrich Baermann., played here by the youngest soloist to date to perform with Sinfonia. Oliver Pashley is still at school in Grantham, balancing his music with study for A levels. It was a great to be there in St.Mary’s Church, Frampton, to hear such a  confident performance. The Weber is a terrific showpiece for the clarinet and Oliver surmounted all the feats it presents - many virtuosic passages spanning the entire range of the clarinet and in the second movement the opportunity to duet with horn. His own obvious pleasure at an enthusiastic reception was wonderful to behold. Let us hope he makes it as a fine professional player in just a few years’ time.

After the interval, our final course for the evening was one meaty work- the second of Brahms’ symphonies. A happy work but not without underlying tensions, it was given a properly warm performance. All sections of the orchestra had their chances to shine and rose to the occasion. Brahms gives us everything – lyricism, counterpoint, delicacy and huge solidity. The strings must sing forth but also saw away to generate tension, high woodwind must ripple as well as provide rustic accompaniment, horns and brass must give solidity and bombast and horns in particular play warm lyrical passages. Nigel Morley conducting, gave us a convincing performance without exaggeration of the changes of tempi or rhythmic changes and built the huge climaxes well.  The final great fanfares thrilled, as they should.

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