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BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Chief Conductor: Ilan Volkov
Elizabeth Layton, leader
Led by: Bernard Docherty
St. Mary’s Parish Church, Haddington
Wednesday, 22 April 2009 at 8.00pm
Karlowicz
Symphonic Prologue from music for ‘Bianca da Molena’
Dvorak
Cello Concerto
Beethoven
Symphony No.5
It is not easy to produce obvious excitement in a Haddington audience at a classical concert but that is exactly what was achieved by the BBCSSO and their wonderful soloist at the Lamp of Lothian’s concert in St Mary’s on Wednesday evening.
The first item in the concert was The White Dove by the little-known Polish composer Mieczyslaw Karlowicz. This proved to be an interesting and enjoyable new experience which raised the frustrating question of what Karlowicz might have gone on to create had his life not been ended by a skiing accident at the tragically early age of 32. The White Dove was written in 1900 when the composer was just 24 but showed a sureness of style which belied his youth.
The concert continued with a performance of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in which the soloist was Danjulo Ishizaka. This is of course one of the best-loved works in the classical repertoire and might have been expected to be well-received. However the performance had a lyricism and beauty of tone which surpassed all expectations. Soloist and conductor (Michal Dworzynski) showed a rapport which brought out the very best of the music and inspired some very fine playing from the orchestra. The audience reaction at the close of the concerto was immediate and extremely enthusiastic.
There was just one work after the interval – Beethoven’s 5th Symphony – which again is very familiar to audiences. Dworzynski and the BBCSSO produced a memorably fresh and energetic performance. On this occasion the acoustic of St Mary’s, which can sometimes be a little over reverberant and so cause a blurring of fast and loud passages, seemed to work entirely to the advantage of the music. One possible explanation is that this very large orchestra had to spread well away from the central crossing area of the church, from where groups normally perform, and all the string players were seated in the nave. Whatever the reason, the result was greatly enjoyed by the capacity audience who went home hoping that, despite these difficult times, the Lamp of Lothian will continue to be able to bring the BBCSSO back to Haddington.
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Rumbos de Tango
with
Orquesta Atipica de Edimburgo
Corn Exchange Haddington
24 May 2009
A large audience enjoyed this fascinating glimpse of traditional music and dance from Argentina on Sunday 24 May in the Corn Exchange Haddington.
Rumbos de Tango and Orquesta Atipica de Edimburgo interrupted their appearances at the Edinburgh International Festival of Tango to transform the Corn Exchange into a Buenos Aires club atmosphere for the night. Performing a wide range of music from the classical tango genre, Orquesta Atipica demonstrated how the tradition of tango developed, drawing from the cultures of Spain, Portugal Africa and South America, until it evolved to become the music and dance we see today. A fascinating explanation given before each piece offered the audience an insight to the differing musical forms, as well as the dance which accompanied it. The band’s performance was enhanced by the female singer’s wonderful voice bringing passion and pathos in equal measure to an appreciative audience.
The highlight of the evening came when Jenny Frances and Ricardo Oria, (Rumbos de Tango), took the floor to demonstrate the complex steps and rhythms which make up Argentinian tango. The couple are well known to Edinburgh audiences, running classes at Dance Base in the Grassmarket throughout the year, and BBC viewers may also have recognized Ricardo from the recent continuity piece featuring tango dancers. After a short interval, an invitation to join the dance brought almost every couple to their feet, as Ricardo and Jenny took us all through the basic steps with witty and encouraging commentary!
Although a new departure for the Lamp of Lothian series, and for the Haddington Festival, the Argentinian Tango evening provoked an enthusiastic response from attendees and Festival organisers, with an invitation to repeat the event at next year’s Festival.
Click here for photos from the event
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