Autumn Concert - Saturday, 9th November 2024

In promoting this concert, the Folkstone Symphony Orchestra’s website invited readers to ‘please come and support the orchestra’, which might have given the wrong impression.  It could have suggested that we should come along to be kind to this bunch of ‘amateurs’ – but no such beneficence was necessary.  Here was an evening of confident, skilled and highly committed music-making.  Conductor and Music Director Rupert Bond and the 75 players tackled a bold and exciting programme with striking verve and musicality.  

A typical drizzly and chilly November night did not deter the ample audience from making their way to Holy Trinity.  An audience which included a good smattering of that regretfully rare species at concerts: young people!  By any standards, this was an interesting programme (and one that was impressive for an ‘amateur’ orchestra to get their teeth into): Franz Liszt’s ‘symphonic poem’ ‘Les Preludes’ (1845-54) does not get many outings but as this performance showed, it should; Arnold Bax’s sumptuous ‘Phantasy for Viola and Orchestra’ (1921) is virtually unknown but is a gem; Hector Berlioz’ blockbuster ‘Symphonie Fantastique’ (1830) is much more familiar but is a work that any orchestra and conductor would take a deep intake of breath before tackling.

Both the Liszt and the Berlioz are based on ‘programmes’, and arguably the Bax is as well: they tell a story; but the audience does not need to know what these stories are to appreciate this marvellous music.  (Indeed, after the first performance of the ‘Symphony Fantastique’, Berlioz withdrew the programme he provided – and which was given out to the audience last night – and did not issue it at the future performances he conducted). 

The viola soloist for the Bax ‘Phantasy’ was Robin Ashwell, a dear friend of Folkestone through his membership of the Sacconi Quartet, who for nearly two decades have run a chamber music festival in Folkestone, and more recently have been ‘in residence’ in the town performing at the beach, in bars and on the Old High Street. Robin is a very fine player and this piece was tailor-made for his heartfelt, virtuosic playing.  When first performed in 1921 – by Lionel Tertis, to whom it is dedicated, and who was the performer who arguably put the viola on the map – the piece was described as a ‘Concerto’ but the name was quickly changed.  And we can see why – this is not a work where the orchestra and soloist tussle each other for dominance or where the soloist engages in formidable cadenzas set adrift from the main action.  Yes, there are certainly challenges for the soloist  – with an abundance of tricky runs, double-stopping and trills, all done marvellously by Robin – but you get the sense that the soloist and orchestra are very much on the same journey.  The evocation of Ireland is unmistakeable, with many motifs that sound folksong-like and actual Irish songs making an appearance: ‘The Pretty Brown-haired Girl of the White Breasts’ and – interestingly – the Sinn Fein marching song, ‘A Soldier’s Song’.  The ‘Phantasy’ title better conveys the passionate lyricism of this music than the more academic title of ‘concerto’ would.  

Each of the works gave all sections of the orchestra an opportunity to shine and certainly in the Liszt and Berlioz the brass had a field day.  (I could have sworn I saw a fluttering of dust come from the roof at the peak moments in the Berlioz).  But there were arresting moments throughout all three pieces: James Dowsett’s Tuba first entry in the Liszt; Dawn Baker’s Piccolo unison duet with the soloist in the Bax; Theo Sirota’s Trumpet and Hilary Sell’s Cor Anglais solos in the Bax; Hillary Sell’s and David Montague’s Cor Anglais and Oboe duet at the beginning of the Berlioz 3^rd movement; John Hall’s Flute rendition of the ‘idee fixee’ in the Berlioz; and Clarinettists Belinda Pidgen and Ann-Louise Sirota’s beautiful duet in the Berlioz.  I loved the four bassoons and the lower strings in the Berlioz 4^th last movement but all the strings had wonderful moments during the evening. 

If there were people last night who had not attended a symphony concert before, this would have been a wonderful initiation.  Bond really showed what an orchestra can do.  He clearly knows his players well and his clear and supportive conducting elicited controlled playing, with dynamic contrasts and an attention to detail that really brought these pieces to life.  After the sensational, seat-rattling fourth movement of the Berlioz, I heard a whispered ‘blimey’ from the row behind me; whilst after the even more extraordinary final, fifth movement the friend sitting next to me said - with a big smile on his face - ‘that was bonkers’.  

Was every passage throughout the evening perfectly executed?  Not quite  - but at no time was the spirit and heart of the music not conveyed with affecting power and vitality.  If anyone present was not thrilled by these performances, their hearing aid must surely have been firmly on the off switch. So bravo to Rupert Bond, the Orchestra Leader Jo Saul (borrowed from Faversham for the night) and the FSO - there could not have been a better start to their new season.

Andrew Ward