Saturday 7th November 2015

The Folkestone and Hythe Orchestral Society (FHOS, or ‘Folkestone Symphony’) under its conductor Rupert Bond has become one of the area’s musical treasures.  Now that professional symphony orchestras no longer visit the Leas Cliff Hall, FHOS has become the only way to hear live performances of the standard repertoire.  The venue for its most recent concert (Holy Trinity Church, Folkestone) has been transformed by recent adjustments to lighting and furnishings to provide probably the best environment in the town for orchestral music. Acoustically warm and appropriately lit, it was well suited to the FHOS orchestra and enhanced its sound while retaining excellent clarity. 

The concert of music by Verdi (Force of Destiny overture), Berlioz (Les Nuits d’été) and Sibelius (Symphony No. 1) proved to be an engaging and enjoyable experience for the large audience (the central space was completely full).  Though nominally an amateur organisation, there was a sprinkling of familiar faces of professional musicians among the 65 players.  The mix worked, and the orchestra provided technically assured accounts of all three works; one soon forgot the mechanics and could focus on the music.  This was good orchestral fare, well balanced and sensitively delivered.  Rupert Bond is clearly a conductor that has inspired the orchestra and raised its game beyond the ordinary.  The fact he has apparently committed himself to a complete cycle of Sibelius symphonies over coming years is good news for the orchestra and for the town.

There were many memorable passages.  In the Berlioz the players were obviously listening acutely to the excellent mezzo soloist Kiri Parker – she projected well, in clear French (though it would have been helpful to have the texts in the printed programme), and had the heft to dominate the orchestra in the louder, more passionate passages.  However, it was the orchestra’s pianissimo playing that was the most impressive, always keeping within the scale of the voice.  That must have taken a lot of rehearsal time, but the outcome was magical. 

Other passages that remain in the memory were the spell-binding opening clarinet solo of the Symphony’s first movement, the beautiful opening and closing quiet sections of the second movement, the excellent string fortissimo unisons at the start of the fourth (getting near the impact of a professional band), and some distinguished trumpet playing later on.

Of course, there were some minor quibbles.  Though the quiet playing was of high quality, when the whole orchestra was playing loudly (the Verdi and first Berlioz song) the sound coarsened and tuning suffered.  The cut-offs in the Verdi were sometimes brutal and occasionally ragged.  The timpani (back in the chancel) were rather distant and thus lacked impact compared with a professional performance in a concert hall; but professional orchestras no longer come to the Leas Cliff Hall, and the FHOS makes a very acceptable substitute. Mr Bond clearly has some areas to work on with the FHOS and it will be interesting to see how the sound develops over his long-term plan to explore the Sibelius symphonies.

Taken as a whole, this was a very enjoyable concert in which the FHOS gave an excellent account of itself.  More than that; it provided Folkestone with the opportunity to experience live symphonic music.  I look forward to the next performances and hope music lovers in the area will give Folkestone Symphony strong support.  This band amply deserves it.

Berkeley Hill