UK Theatre Network

A Grand Classical Gala by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra took place on 16th November at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury.

As I was sitting in the packed stalls waiting for the Gala to begin, I was a little disappointed when I realised that my view of some of the wind and brass soloists would be slightly obscured. I have not had a lot of opportunity to see many purely orchestral concerts before, but I understand from other audience members present that the stage set up was not what you would necessarily expect for an orchestra of this size or prestige. Indeed, I did feel sorry for one particular violinist who was more in the wings than he was on stage. Nevertheless, not seeing all the musicians all of the time did not matter in the slightest as soon as they started to play.

The evening opened with Bedrich Smetana’s ‘The Bartered Bride Overture’ and it instantly became apparent why The Royal Philharmonic is acknowledged as one of the UK’s most prodigious orchestras. The sprightly and energetic beginning to the overture was executed to perfection by the strings, grabbing the audience’s attention gently, but utterly, right from the start. As the passionate and detailed layering of the piece developed, it was easy to hear how the musicians were seemingly effortlessly able to demonstrate their mastery of the genre. This became more and more clear as the orchestra began their second selection of the evening, with haunting, passionate and highly recognisable extracts from Bizet’s ‘Carmen’.

The orchestra’s conductor for the evening was the animated Stephen Bell. Stephen was born in Bury in Lancashire and studied conducting at the Royal College of Music under the renowned conductor Norman Del Mar. Known for his diverse repertoire and versatility, Stephen now finds himself increasingly in demand, both at home and abroad. He has performed with a wide variety of European orchestras including the BBC, Brighton and London Philharmonics and the Manchester Concert and Ulster orchestras. He has also worked with an eclectic range of artists, from Julian Lloyd Webber, Hayley Westernra and G4 to Katie Melua, John Barrowman and Chris de Burgh, to name but a few! A highly energetic and involved conductor, his calm but impassionate love for the music was instantly noticeable and I found him entertaining to watch but without this being distracting from the music itself. His advanced grasp of musical dynamics and his ability to communicate with the entire orchestra so precisely was a pleasure to behold. 

For the third selection for the evening, a performance of Edvard Grieg’s ‘Piano Concerto in A Minor’, the orchestra was joined centre stage by the highly acclaimed piano soloist Sarah Beth Briggs.

At the age of only 11, Sarah made a very successful start to her UK career by becoming one of the youngest ever finalists in the history of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. She made her concerto debut a year later and has since claimed international recognition as a soloist. Her status as an adventurous and vibrant recitalist showed through as she executed the famous opening piano flourish of the concerto with fervour and dexterity. The continued rippling solo phrases of the rest of the piece were only accentuated and enhanced by the addition of the rest of the orchestra, creating a truly beautiful, occasional understated but none-the-less compelling performance. The powerful closing phrases before the interval were met warmly by the audience who awarded Miss Briggs three curtain calls.

After the interval, the audience were treated to Dvorak’s beautifully poignant Symphony No.9 ‘From the New World’. Again, the grandeur and expertise of the orchestra was evident from the poised and gentle opening, through the piece’s warm and galloping mid section and into its splendid finale. Having heard only the very famous ‘Hovis’ section of this symphony before, it was a joy to hear it its entirety, especially as the musicians mapped its development and journey so delightfully.

Overall, the selection of music for the evening had something for everyone. There were some famous and highly recognisable pieces interwoven with some less known extracts, which made for a balanced and engaging evening, made all the more enjoyable by the detail, precision and beauty of the playing. A wonderful evening of excellent music, greatly enjoyed by all.
 
Vicky Poole