Orchestra Responds Well

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31598, 8 February 1968, Page 12

Orchestra Responds Well

Canterbury Court was again crowded last evening for the third pronis concert conducted by Arthur Fiedler. He and the orchestra were in ebullient form, and the audience was obviously pleased with their efforts. There is a pervading vitality in all Mr Fiedler’s interpretations and to this the players respond with eclat. His genial personality is reflected in the performances; and he must convey much through facial expressions for he does not use any marked physical gyrations in his conducting. He has a splendid flair for choosing the right tempo. The programme began with a charming and highly interesting performance of a Toccata by Frescobaldi, a work of sonorous dignity which was excellently suited to orchestral transcription although a purist might justly consider the texture of the orchestration rather thick. Harty’s excellent arrangement of Handel's Royal Fireworks Suite followed, and was played with pleasing contrasts of colour and mood. Clarity of line was always present in the playing and the balance among the orchestral families was strikingly preserved. There was a most attractive bloom on the tone in the soft playing and all the bravura movements had exhilarating elan. Phiilp Lorenz and Ena Bronstein were the soloists in Mozart’s Concerto in E flat for two pianos and orchestra, K 365. They made a magnifi-

cent duo whose playing as such could seemingly not be faulted. Their balance in volume, in colour, in shaping of phrasing, and in all the many subtleties of expression gave a perfect “mirror” ’effect. The work was utterly charming in its gracious poise and in nice balancing of many rococco elegancies Nothing seemed to be lost in the big auditorium although the performance never rose beyond stylish limits in tonal volume. This was music- to be remembered with joyful gratitude. The second part of the programme began with Lalo’s . overture to “Le Roi d’Ys”. I It began in lyrical and pasI (oral serenity building up to tempestuous and passionate intensity. It was cast mainly in heroic and chivalrous mood with many broad and romantic melodies as contrasts. The orcestration was clever, and rich in effect.

A work intriguingly entitled “Naughty Limericks” was good fun and was interesting in its themes, its rhythms, and its clever orchestral colourings. This was splendid “proms” fare. A selection of tunes from “Brigadoon” was pleasantly orchestrated and had some effective contrasts and a rousing climax. The programme ended with some noisy vulagrity called “Winchester Cathedral”. The advantage of such music is that it could be given anyi title with just as little rele-| vance.

A “Quadrille”, played as an

encore, was a pot-pourri of l many well-known tunes: and I had the character of a dream [induced by a surfeit of proms concerts. This was followed Iby an inanity called “The I Impossible Dream” —just as (well!

These concerts have been most deservedly popular and the series will end this evening.