Another Astonishing Concert Performed by our City's own Orchestra
Mark reports on the Sunderland Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and its sell-out seasonal Spring Concert on Saturday 23rd March to capacity audience at St Gabriel's Church on Chester Road. The concert entitled 'A Concert of Two-Halves' was introduced by Dave Milner the musical director saying "This may well be a perfect description of any orchestra concert, two halves with an interval, however for tonight's concert this title concerns the musical content, the first half being of a classical nature with hints and sounds of Spring and a second half being a selection of interesting light music" Dave Milner spoke of SSO reputation of being able to perform in many styles and musical genres of music so we play to those strengths.
The audience enjoyed a thrilling opener to the concert with one of Rossini's best known piecesthe Overture from the Barber of Seville it was obvious that the audience were immediately gripped with the opening fanfare and well executed exchanges between the winds and string sections of the orchestra, The fast and vibrant stringing delighted many in the audience, the orchestra performed well and managed to pull-off that typical Rossini style of slow orchestration of suppressed energies that just wants to burst-out and is realised in the reprise fanfare. A great and uplifting starter. Next up was a much gentler piece of music Johann Strauss Voices of Springthe playing of this certainly got many in the audience swaying in their seats and one could feel the palpable resistance not to get up and waltz around. The musical hint of spring theme was further explored with the tranquillity of Delius compositionOn Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring.With any classical concert where would you be without some Tchaikovsky and the orchestra delightfully played theAdagio from Sleeping Beauty.Also featuring in the first half and much appreciated a lively orchestration of Johannes Brahms Hungarian Dance.
After a deserved interval for the musicians and before the light music programme
in the second half, Dave Milner before picking the baton to conduct acknowledged Jonathan Smith in the audience who was present and keen to meet with the musicians now playing the instruments his grandfather had made and gifted to the orchestra in 2018. Jonathan's Grandfather Arthur Ridler was a great fan of the orchestra and regularly attended SSO concerts prior to his death. Arthur was an accomplished and skill-full musical instrument maker who lived in Barnes and was a scientific engineer with the Admiralty.
If a clap-monitor were in situ at the concert, without doubt the orchestra's playing of
In a Persian Marketby Albert Ketelbey scored with the highest audience applause. Dave Milner along with the music sections of the orchestra enthralled the audience while introducing this piece by giving narration of the music sections representing the events and characters in the market and inviting the sections of the orchestra to give the audience a taste of that representational sounds of people in the market. Without doubt the orchestra was masterful in its orchestration offering evocative melodies, conjuring up a vibrant market place with the sounds of beggar's pleading for alms and mixed with the vibrant lively cords of music of the jugglers and the hypnotic melodies of the snake charmers. Then the arrival of a caravan and a princess brings an incredible air of musical tranquillity and mysticism. For me in listening to this piece of music and I suspect of others likewise in the audience the orchestra momentarily took us to a Persian Market. Which just so demonstrates the enriching and enduring power of music and connecting us to distant places and differing cultures. Also featuring within the second half of the concert and gaining much applause was the arrangement by Ted Ricketts of music from The Pirates of the Caribbean.Also, a delightful melody run through of the songs and music from My Fair Lady.A couple of the pieces of music also played evoked strong reminiscences of the 1950-60's and a trip down memory lane for many in the audience when the orchestra performed Ronald Binge Sailing Bythe signature tune to the BBC's Shipping forecast and the final offering of the evenings concert with Eric Coates, Calling All Workers, the signature tune for that memorable radio programme Workers Playtime. A heart rousing standing ovation was offered by an obvious appreciative audience of this year's Spring Concert. The concert was attended by Sunderland Symphony Orchestra Honorary Patron, The Right Worshipful, Mayor of the City of Sunderland, Councillor Dorothy Trueman, who spoke of the musical talent of the Orchestra and the Orchestra's cultural contributions to the City of Sunderland.
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