19 May 2007
Ben Hancox, Violin & Robin Ashwell, Viola
Conductor: Brian Wright
Mozart - Sinfonia Concertante
Mahler - Symphony No.6
The final concert of the orchestra’s 2006/07 season was a Civic Concert given in the presence of the new Mayor of Maidstone, Councillor Richard Ash. The programme was made up of classic pieces from the central European tradition by two of Austria’s greatest composers, Mozart and Mahler.
The main work in the programme was the sixth symphony of Gustav Mahler, a large work in every sense of the word - how many regional orchestras would have the courage to tackle such an undertaking and successfully bring it off with such aplomb as the Maidstone players did last Saturday? The size of orchestra required is itself daunting enough, over one hundred players, including (as the chairman pointed out in Newsletter included with the programme) “nine horns ablow’n”.
Conductor Brian Wright led his players in a crisp and energised performance from the assertive opening of the first movement, (which was taken at a real “allegro” tempo that avoided any hint of mawkish sentimentality in the more self-indulgent moments of Mahler’s score) to the final shattering minor chord that ended the colossal last movement, well over an hour later. Within each movement the many tempo changes required by the composer were managed in a flexible and natural manner, which gave ample time for the music to breathe in its more lyrical moments.
Mahler was writing at the start of the 20th century in Vienna, at a time when the common musical language was still based on a good tune with recognisable harmony (we in the audience appreciate this) but when the expression of emotions in the music led to an extreme dynamic range and an ever more experimental stretching of dissonance. This requires concentrated listening from an audience, which was clearly the case in Mote Hall, helped by the fact that the orchestra were fully engaged, enthused by Brian Wright’s direction, and able therefore to give a totally committed and convincing performance. Such music can be emotionally draining for the listener, so presumably is both emotionally and physically draining for performers, and we must be grateful to the orchestra who, having rehearsed during the afternoon, will have travelled this particularly exhausting road twice in one day!
However, at seventy-five minutes this work does not provide a full evening’s concert and the decision to open with Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante” was an inspired one. Requiring a chamber orchestra of about thirty players it gave a perfect balance of sonority and scale to the epic Mahler.
Soloists, Ben Hancox and Robin Ashwell on violin and viola, gave an engaging, poised and sensitive performance, which above all was the performance of a duo, not the collision of two soloists’ egos. Brian Wright had mentioned in his introduction that both are members of the Sacconi Quartet and their playing together reflected their chamber music experience. The warm blend of the orchestral string sound and sensitive accompaniment throughout matched the soloists in this most delicately balanced of Mozart’s works.
This was an evening of music making of the highest standard and provided a triumphant conclusion to the season Thanks are due to Brian Wright and the orchestra for creating this special atmosphere (even with the smell of chlorine in a leisure centre!) An exciting new season is promised, beginning on October 13th, and brochures are now available giving the details.
Review by Duncan Lord
