Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra
Archive reviews
- 2000/2001 season -
November 2000
- Ravel, Mendelssohn (a late substitution thanks to a sick
soloist!), Prokofiev
February 2001 - Dvorak, Gershwin, Elgar, Stravinsky
April 2001 - Mahler No3 with Guest Conductor Nicholas Cleobury
Saturday, November 11th, 2000
"D'Cruze army did it so well"
Concert review by Patric Standford, Yorkshire Post
Continuing his valiant quest to lead his brave and able forces through a challenging yet accessible repertoire, Rupert D'Cruze put Prokofiev's 5th Symphony under the spotlight for Saturday's concert, and the orchestra delivered a spectacular performance of this extremely demanding and, at times, highly intricate piece of orchestral structure.
To recreate its sound it needs very specific speeds, and the techniques required by an army of players to meet these are considerable, needing the strong leadership it certainly received.
In a piece like this, it is the strings that make one most fearful of an amateur performance, especially in the expansive slow movement and that tricky figure from the first movement that invades the finale.
But the D'Cruze army did it all so well that it would be churlish to pick out a less effective accelerando or a slight imbalance.
Disappointing though it was that saxophonist John Harle's indisposition deprived us of a new work by Sally Beamish, there was compensation in the form of young violinist Jack Liebeck, whose playing of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto had assurance and controlled maturity. It was only in the reckless abandon of the finale that things were a little loose at the seams.
Saturday, February 10th, 2001
"Kathryn sparks: 'Phil' inspired"
Concert review by David Hammond, Huddersfield Examiner
As with the last orchestral season at the Town Hall, it is being left to amateur orchestras to provide some of the more interesting and exciting programmes.
Kathryn Stott's virtuoso account of the Gershwin Piano Concerto on Saturday, with conductor Rupert D'Cruze drawing strong support from the Huddersfield Phil, will certainly rank as one of the most memorable performances.
This jazz-inspired work, so revolutionary at its conception that the first performance caused the composer's arrest for "wilful corruption of a classical form" , exerted all its old magic. *
Miss Stott brought cool, clear textures, and plenty of power to the opening Allegro, battling the piano line against sweeping, lyrical strings.
Throughout the concerto, the orchestra's woodwind and brass also made splendid contributions, with the soloist's dramatic and colourful playing revealing the composition's marvellous theatricality.
With just 14 players on stage for Dvorak's Serenade for Wind, Violoncello and Double Bass, Kenneth Heeks (principal clarinet) and other instrumentalists were given a welcome chance to demonstrate the Phil's wealth of individual talent. Glowing tonal colours marked this atmospheric work, rich in variety, with the intense, romantic Andante a highlight.
Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for Strings, after one or two initial hiccups, found the massed strings getting well to grips with the complex structure and delivering the eloquent outpouring of melody with warmth and cohesion.
In Stravinsky's war-inspired Symphony in Three Movements, Rupert D'Cruze achieved a convincing performance from all sections in this dramatic, discordant work. The unease, the tension and violence were powerfully conveyed, leading on eventually to the triumphal climax which musically represents the Allied victory.
* Thanks for playing along with the gag in Paul Serotsky's programme notes, David. However, we now assure readers of a nervous disposition that no composers were actually harmed (or arrested) during the premiere of the Gershwin!
Saturday, April 21st, 2001
"... it really worked"
Concert review by Patric Standford, Yorkshire Post
A performance of Mahler's Third Symphony is an act of boldness for an amateur orchestra, heroism bordering on the reckless, but on Saturday it really worked.
This vast undertaking - more than 90 minutes of continuous playing - was under the secure and experienced guidance of Nicholas Cleobury, a conductor who had clearly persuaded some excellent playing from them, not least the many effective and expressive solos from wind players, horn, trumpet and trombone, and the orchestra's leader Mary Rafferty.
Yet in spite of all his gigantic showmanship, self-indulgent prolixity and occasional vulgarity, Mahler's finest work is in his songs.
The Third Symphony has two gems, the fourth movement "Oh Man, take heed" which was beautifully brought to light by the mellow voice and poignant phrasing of Margaret McDonald, who was joined in the following movement by a choir of local ladies and children from the Cardinal Heenan High School.
The final movement, gracefully shaped and not too slow, highlighted a fine body of strings which throughout had produced both rich and delicate playing and a sensitive range of dynamics.
Altogether this was a performance that achieved a triumphantly high standard of work of which the orchestra and the city can be justly proud.
Huddersfield Philharmonic Society is a registered charity.