Wind ensemble great success

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34021, 10 December 1975, Page 20

Wind ensemble great success

The 11am Wind Ensemble was again a great success in its second lunch-hour recital, given yesterday at the Arts Centre, Rolleston Avenue. The ensemble deserved all. the considerable applause from a big audience. The hall — the converted library at the old Univerity of Canterbury site — proved adequate in acoustics, and brought out nicely the different wind timbres.

The ensemble, a group of 15 wind players which has grown into a flexible group from an original wind quin-' tet. should prove a necessary asset for Christchurch as it develops, and gains more experience. It hopes to give a series of school concerts next year. Yesterday’s recital began with a short rigadoun, bouree, and march by Handel, with two oboes, bassoon. and side drum, and'

was followed bv a shortened trio for flute, oboe, and clarinet by the contemporary composer. Richard Rodney: Bennett. Three short pieces by J.i Ibert were by far the most popular item, their light,; witty style being entirely suited to a lunch-hour concert. The last of Ibert’s pieces, in particular, beginning with a slow introduction and leading to an allegro scherzando with the main part played by the clarinet, was delightful, and brought spontaneous applause. Mozart’s Serenade in C Minor ended the recital. It was a longer work than the others, and not quite as catching, but was played with equal professionalism and sensitivity. While most of the other works involved between two and five players. the serenade required eight. It was conducted by Simon Tipping, the emsemble’s musical director. —K.M.F.P.