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Hilam Trigg
From:
To:
"MARTIN HALL" <martghall@yahoo.com>
<hilary.trigg@ntiworld.com>
Sent:
23 May 2004 20:09
Subject:
Russian Spectacular
GUILDFORD PHILHARMONIC CHOIR/FOREST PHILHARMONIC
The Guildford Philharmonic's concert in the cathedral
on Saturday May 22nd,entitled "A Russian Spectacular”
was well named. We were indeeded treated to a most
spectacular evening from all points of view.
Jeremy Backhouse,the choir's dynamic musical director
since 1995,is to be congratulated for his continuous
bold,imaginative programme planning. In less than a
year the choir have have promoted the most stimulating
repertoire,including the colossal 8th Symphony of
Mabhler,and performed it to an amazingly high standard.
This is due in no small part to Mr Backhouse's
enthusiasm,efficiency and,let it be added bravery in
tackling some of the largest works ever conceived.
The concert opened with a vigorous rendition of the
Polovstian Dances from Prince Igor by the Nationalist
composer,Borodin. The choir's accompanist, Jeremy
Filsell, then gave a glorious performance of the
formidably difficult 3rd Piano Concerto of
Rachmaninov. This was music making of the highest
order. We have come to take Mr Filsell's virtuosity
almost for granted but this technical prowess was
united with playing of superb musicality and
architecture. The beautifully textured lyrical
passages were delivered with a warmth and euphoria
which was profoundly moving. In this he was aided and
abetted by his namesake conductor who drew the most
ravishing sounds from the excellent Forest
Philharmonic Orchestra-ensemble,very difficult to
achieve in this work, was well nigh perfect. The
musical partnership between conductor and soloist
could be compared without exaggeration to the classic
recording by Ashkenazy and Previn. The last pages
brought the concerto to a climax of electrifying
exhilaration.
The second part of the programme was devoted to
Prokoviev's cantata drawn from his film score to the
legendary Eisenstein's 'Alexander Nevsky'. The choir
sang this music with total conviction and an
appropriately stark sense of style. The decision to
sing the work in Russian paid immense dividends. Choir
and orchestra alike seemed to overcome the cathedral's
acoustical problems with easy mastery-Prokoviev's
bitter bitonal harmonies shook the cathedral to its
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very foundations in the thrilling fortissimo passages
but there was poetry as well, particularly in Theresa
Shaw's noble rendition of the penultimate movement.
The Guildford Philharmonic is going through a most
distinguished chapter in its history. One can hardly
wait for the next event-Elgar's perenially popular
'Dream of Gerontius'.
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23/05/04