before the programme note made
Philharmonic make
the point. And as in Romeo and
Juliet,
love - and
death
were
woven into this forceful score,
read and plaved with full sense
of the inexorable urgency of the
tragedy
portrayed
through
the
language of music. Even with the
brass set far back, the trombones
a pilgrimage to
powered out.
anter ury
trident
of
duced
a
veritable
three-prong
sound
from.
the
points of leading violins, brass
and percussion/timpani.
In "the Bliss: work marginally
| Chioir. The occasion was a special
concert in the cathedral promoted more than the others, the groupby, the South East Music Trust ing built .up to a total envelopment in musical power produced;
- and South East Arts Association.
The
orchestra
is
'still
gaining
organlike,
organic,
in
its
brings a panache to its pages.
The instrument came over with
the Lord” arose to its full stature just
before
the
first
violins
turned
to
their
left-hand.
last
A MUSICAL pilgrimage to Can| terbury was made on Saturday
| by the Guildford Philharmonic
Philharmonic
| Orchestra
and
page,
and
then
the
ultimate
touch
were applied
es to a structure stimulating, satisfying, and
from' a highly inventive musical
mind. This work and the Bliss
Vanagong
fi}f[a Orchestra
pre-
whole-
{ in strength, confidence and qua- ness.. Seldom can the conductor
miere
L.S.0.
.
ndley
¥
with
the
are perhaps as near to.
this
particular
pro- have
emotional
such
elicited
must
be
accounted response from the G.P.O,, which genius as Bliss can come. The
editations were certainly aided
for : Vernon ‘played with what can -only be
another- milestone
by . being played for a second
Handley. Its climax was the Bliss described as passion.
Yet throughout this work, the time in a week by the G.P.O.
| “Meditations on a Theme of John
- Blow” and Sir Arthur was in the variations from flailing attack to vieldnig an extra dimension of
enhanced by the assurance, as well as the acous"audience to hear it and acknow- meditation
were well tical dimension of Canterbury!
ledge a reception uninhibited by cathedral setting
observed. Although I was sitting
the surroundings.
The same strange and strong
To cope with the acoustics of in the same row as Bliss only resonances
burst upon us in the
the cathedral, Handley arranged feet from the players, no coarse- fantasy-overture Hamlet
by Tcha| the
orchestra
in
a
three-sided ness of strong tone was discer- ikovsky.
Here once again were
Handley
navigated
the
i layout. First violins, cellos and nible.
the quaking percussion/timpani,
| double basses ranged to his left; eddying vortices and cross-cur- the reverberative
strings, as the
| woodwind and brass in front of rents skilfully, finding time to tragedy was unfolded
with drama
| him: and violas and second vio- beat out a tricky sub-tempo for
and passion. And in the special
lins to the right, backed by per- the cellos.
setting, lone gouklid not fail to be
The finale “In the House of’ aware also of
i cussion and timpani. This pro-
[ ity
and
| gramme
i
of Becket 031}~%--&0&"‘*%?;'¥
that
|
e
= AR
we
:
Tchaikovsky was also the composer of the second work played,
Varijations on @ Rococo Theme for
- Cello and Orchestra. Rohan de
Saram was the soloist ‘in this
technically satisfying showpiece. 1
heard him play it at Dorking
.
~ some years back and he still
other
tra
sat. Hamlet was reminiscent
Francesca
da
Rimini even
clarity, from lowest rumblings to
highest little-finger notes. With
their craftsmanlike dovetailing the
G
helped
to
assemble a
perfectly-fitting = piece.
Special
moments:
the'
pizzicato
string
accompaniment to the soloist and
then
es
his
in
The
own
later runningwpas-
the allegro vivo.
While
Philharmonic
Choir
repeated its performance of !ast
week when it sang Holst’'s Ode
to Death for Chorus and Orchestra. The setting was of course
ideal
for
this
piece
and
the
!
singers brought it off joyously.
hat
is
the
right
word,
for
despite its theme, the ode to
Walt
“Come
Whitman’s
lovely
verses
rejoices
and
soothing
death.” And it ends *I float this
carol with joy, with joy to thee
O death.” All the nuances were
|
there:
the ~har.fi droplets,
the
timeless single
flute, the muted
strings.
Another night to remember —
thanks to the Guildford Philharmonic,
leader
John
Ha,ndley.. — JL.E.T.
Ludlow,
the
!’