Memorable concert as
Handley bows out
AN important era in the history of Guildford’s musi¢c came
to an end on Saturday when
Vernon Handley conducted the
final concert in the present season of borough council concerts; a season which is
Handley’s last as director of
music of Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra.
It was a memorable occasion
in the Civic Hall. Memorable
because the audience gave
Handley a sta.nding ovation at
the concert’s conclusion;
because. it contained both a
first performance of a new
work and the first UK appearance of a phenomenal Japanese pianist; and memorable
because Guildford’s so-called
music-lovers managed to anticipate none of the foregoing
and ‘thus stayed away in
droves.
Never mind. Those who pald
their tribute to Handley for 21
years of enlightened musicmaking will know that they
were among genuine enthusiasts. As one member of the
audience put it, the “phili§tines
of Guildford” who stayed
away missed an event of some
moment; better even than
Dynasty.
'
Earlier in the day, at the
| final orchestral practice, Hugh
Bean, the orchestra’s associate
- leader, . spoke
both
for
the
_orchestra and the Philharmonic
| Choir which was seated on the
concert platform when he gave
a farewell vote of thanks to the
conductor.
“The standard of musicmaking is' common knowledge
in the music profession and is
the envy of many more fam-:
ously-named
organisations,”
said Bean. When professionals
came to Guildford there was,
he said, a feeling of making
music with friends; there was a
high standard of approach and
a
sense
of
climax
in
performance. -
“Thank you for so many unforgettable musical exper-
iences,” concluded Bean. “Our
affection and respect go with
you.” In a brief reply (after all,
rehearsal time with a Musicians’ Union orchestra is valuable) Handley was brief but
sincere. He spoke of a “colos-
sal sense. of pnvnlege to havc
played with you:
But, the absenteés may be
asking, did the music live up to
the occasion? ’'Fraid so. the
concert’ provided a combination of the modern masterpiece
and the highly approachable
new work.
-
With due respect to the.new
work by Adrian Williams —
which was a success — it'is
necessary to turn first to the
modern’ masterpiece, the Piano-
Concert
No.
3
by.
Bartok,
because of the sheer bnlhance‘
of -the performance.
- The name Yukie Nagai-Irizuki may not immediately imprmt itself totally on the
memory, but here is a pianist
of amazing- artistry, who ‘will
surely play her way to the top.
Her playing of the concerto’s
second movement, strings’ barely breathmg and the unac-
companied pmno then’letting
each note emerge’ with its own
emphasis and mqamng, cast a
spell:
Then theé more fulsome
second section of fhis move-
work
Tess, which was premicred by Guildford Philhar-
monic Orchestra on Saturday.
Based on the character 'inThomas Hardy’s novel, - the:
music
traces Tess's emotions
— which are complex, wistful
and sometimes fatalistic.
Itis a composition of moods
rather than events, ‘and
although the composer says
that it has no programme the
listener could easily conjure up
a series of images with which
to accompany what is* highly
visual .music. This visual ele-
ment arises out of a marvellous
use of textyre; tone colour cre-
ated by such unlikely combinations
as
a
soft
cymbal against
string note.
roll
a
on
the
sustained
Its content grows and develops from a series of imtial
ideas and its shape.is not unlike ‘an abstract tone poem,
‘although it .is sometimes hard
to trace the developments back
to their source.
The sound itself is highly approachable, good examples
being horns and trumpets proment, generously and wistfully
viding a sinister moment of
played; followed by a finale of
great effect and, in two or
both scintillating detail and a
three parts of the work:
great. understanding- of the
moments of reconciliation conHungarian richness of sound.
This"Was Superb, excmng - veyed through chords of roplaying, whose crispness was mantic and anti-avant-garde
beauty.
echoed by a similarly polished
accompaniment from the
The orchestra’s parts are diforchestra:
ficult to play and a great deal
Brilliance is not, however,
of care and time was spent by
the quality that Adrian WilHandley in the preparation of
liams evidently sought
Tess. All this paid off with a
in his
performance of great clarity
and sensitivity.
There was sensitivity, too, ir
the Delius composition, App:
lachia. Evocative of Delius
time in America’s deep souf
it needs’ the haunting qua’
that was évident in. t
performance.
But Handley also assure
audience of a perfor
which encapsulated the ¢
of the negra’s tale, the
ness of the war section 2
positive
feeling of . th
chorus, sung rousing
with clear diction by harmonic Choir. The
baritone _soloist was
Shimell.
Robert Be