Wind ensembles please

Press, 14 March 1977, Page 6

Wind ensembles please

By C. FOSTER BROWNE I The second concert of a series to be given on Sunday, afternoons in the St Albans. Methodist Church was given yesterday by the Ham Wind! Ensemble. A pleasant pro-[ gramme was played, but’

there was a disappointingly small audience. The programme began with Ross and Susan, McKeich (oboes), Keith! Spragg and Gloria Wrighton (clarinets), John Ure and, David Smale (French horns) 1 and Neville Forsythe and! Liam Gill (bassoons), con-i ducted bv Thomas Rogers, playing Mozart’s Serenade ihj E flat, K. 375. This was; played nimbly, with good i cohesion and clean mastery of attack and release. There were times when portions of. the work, marked forte or

'above, were a little too gen-‘ i erously interpreted for such] - a lively hall, and balance s and quality of tone suffered;) i but when volume was under! I full control, the resultant; -[blending and texture of Jsounds were attractive.

Beethoven’s Andante with Variations for Wind Quintet was played by Alison CataI nach (flute),' Gladys Todd ;(oboe), Guy de Lacey (clarinet), and Murray Petrie I (bassoon), a group of young I players making their first (appearance and doing so (very creditably. They blended well and were sensitive to expression, clarity of (line, and rhythmic shaping of phrasing. A Trio for Horns by Anton Reicha w’as played by John Ure. Paul May new, and David Smale. These players

-ishowed sensitive control and '[musical judgment in gaining i good ensemble tone and in [■making the strands combine •[with flexible use of nuance.! ::The works were light but : had attractive character and ;well marked contrast.

Very interesting playing I was heard in a Suite by 'Darius Milhaud from lan Thorpe (oboe), Gloria Wrighton (clarinet), and Tim Geller (bassoon). Each of the seven short movements had distinctive personality and interesting melodic and harmonic appeal. The playing was well phrased and there was crisp precision. i The programme ended ; with a wind octet playing a ißondino in E flat by Beetho!ven. This was a charming ) work, very gracefully ! played. ■