Review Details
GALA CONCERT
Alan Cooper
23 November 2008
THE MUSIC HALL, ABERDEEN
Even as we turned the corner to struggle up the front steps of the Music Hall, we were assailed and encouraged by the bracing sound of traditional bagpipe music played by Hazel Turnbull, and then as we entered the Foyer, the joyful clamour of Calypso music played by the University Steel Pans rang out in a second welcome. I have been at numerous Gala concerts some of which hardly lived up to the name, but Sunday’s spectacular musical cornucopia was definitely the real thing. It was a feast of music to satisfy every taste from plainchant to jazz with everything in between and the quality of all that was on offer was first class. One guest, a music adviser from Glasgow, was stunned by the amazing sound of our concert band and then after the performance of Carmina Burana another lady, a singer in two excellent Aberdeen choirs and therefore quite discerning and not that easy to please turned to me and said simply, “Wow!”
Professor Christopher Gane introduced the performance which began with the weightless sound of plainchant sung by the Chapel Choir of King’s College directed by Dr Roger B. Williams. Monteverdi’s Beatus Vir was a splendid showpiece for full chorus alternating with smaller groups of voices. Chamber organ, violin, and recorder instead of the second violin, provided a delightful embellishment for the singing. Violinist Ronnie Gibson was then joined by Nicola Auchnie as they launched without a pause into two traditional Scottish fiddle tunes.
Petra Paskova the worthy winner of the 2008 Ogston Music Prize performed Scriabin’s Sonata-Fantasy in g# minor, Op.19. She gave a lovingly smooth account of the Andante followed by a crisp and exciting Presto.
Eric Kidd had already done a lot to drive up the standard of the University Concert Band but now under the directorship of Robert Owen it emerged transformed into a startlingly professional sounding musical outfit. The March from Gustav Holst’s Suite in Eb with its warm expansive melody was perfectly focused. Gabriel’s Oboe by Ennio Morricone had a fine oboe solo which was then taken up in a stunning effect by the trumpet. To bring the first half of the concert to a triumphant climax, Symphonic Beatles by John Cacavas was given a dazzlingly glossy and well disciplined performance.
During the interval the Baroque ensemble gave a fine account of three excerpts from Bach’s Cantata No. 57 Selig ist der Mann. Those more focused on their drinks and conversations will never know what a truly fine performance by soprano Frauke Jürgensen they missed.
Ibert’s Divertissement (1930) is frequently twinned on record or CD with Offenbach’s Gaîté Parisienne and understandably so. Those words surely sum up Ibert’s full colour musical sketch of the bustling Paris Boulevards, its cafés and its night life immortalised in the famous posters by Toulouse-Lautrec. The University Chamber Orchestra conducted by Pete Stollery, himself no stranger to Paris, captured the whole lively, light-hearted atmosphere in a splendidly tight and sizzling performance incorporating plenty of characterful instrumental solos.
Orff’s Carmina Burana is an extraordinary composition. Nothing else that this composer wrote ever achieved anything like the same impact. It is startlingly bold in its simplicity and in the assertiveness of its expression, especially at a time when other composers were espousing more and more complexity in their music. Its startling clashes of choral and instrumental colour were drawn with exceptional vigour by the huge choir and the orchestra conducted by Paul Mealor. I was especially impressed by the heroic battery of percussion players. The timpanist gave us a star performance. Baritone Paul Tierney and mezzo-soprano Heather Ireson were at the top of their form in their solos so I can only echo the lady beside me and say, “Wow!”
Even then, the action was not over. As I left through the Foyer, the jazz group, small in number but big in impact were just getting into Gershwin’s Summertime. The weather was not taking the hint, but as I left I could not help thinking that this could be the beginning of a real golden age for Aberdeen University Music.