Review by William Marshall, Huddersfield Examiner
Saturday’s concert included accomplished performances of a Beethoven symphony and of Elgar’s most famous orchestral work. When this is added to the fine account of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique at the orchestra’s spring concert, it would certainly seem that, under principal conductor Natalia Luis-Bassa, the Phil is on an upswing.
On this form, its concerts can be recommended to any music lover.
An amateur orchestra can often assemble good woodwind, brass and percussion sections – and the Phil has certainly done this – but the body of sound and the intonation of the strings is usually the factor that most separates it from a professional ensemble.
On Saturday there were some transitory problems among the strings. In the opening movement of Beethoven’s Seventh, the dotted rhythms seemed laboured. But by the end of the work the articulation was good, enabling the conductor to achieve an exciting, exhilarating conclusion.
At the start of the famous Nimrod section in Elgar’s Enigma variations, the tuning slipped slightly and the tone was thin. But, again, this was soon rectified and the passage was restored to its usual serene and moving self.
It would seem, then, that a hesitancy at the beginning of pieces or movements is a problem that has to be overcome.
Once the orchestra has regained its confidence, it can achieve excellent results, so that on balance the Beethoven was an exciting performance and the infinite intricacies and subtleties of the Elgar were very well expressed
Published 15/10/08