Live

Oxford New OrchestraNew College28 OctoberA packed house crowded among the austere architecture and bizarre statuary of New College antechapel for an equally packed program in aid of Macmillan Cancer Rrelief, and we were not disappointed.Schubert is perhaps more famed for his chamber music and lieder but his nine symphonies are works of terrific delicacy and charm and so it is with his fifth, performed here tonight. The first movement, with all its grace and inventiveness, started on a rather uncertain note from the violins but from there on in they took control. Indeed the dominance of the strings rather overwhelmed the other sections, but this was excusable in what is an essentially string led piece and their playing was mellow and flowing.Hugh Brunt’s conducting could best be described as minimalist, the occasional movement of his left arm only being seen during particularly busy passages, but nonetheless the orchestra was tight and the dynamic range was particularly impressive. The andante has the plaintive delicacyof one of Schubert’s masses, and was expertly handled, especially by the now audible woodwind and the last two movements, bearing all the Aaustrian playfulness of Mozart, were a delight.Even so Schubert could only feel like a warm-up act for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in C minor. The orchestra, now under Rraymond Fischer’s baton, introduce us to the theme and it is some three minutes before the piano announces its entrance with vigorous C minor scales. Eemma Coombes’ playing was, to begin with at least, a trifle too delicate with some of the dazzling scales and chromatic work lost in the orchestra. Overall though, the whole piece was an incredible showcase with Beethoven’s own, amazingly long and elaborate, cadenza in the first movement the mark of a real virtuoso. There is no let up from the technical complexity for the pianist with scintillating arpeggios and scales all the way through. The jolly rondo was a particular highlight with Coombes’ playing once again amazing and the orchestra very impressive. Fischer’s conducting brought out a dynamism and energy that was slightly lackingin Brunt, and throughout the concerto the orchestra played the perfect foil to Coombes with a well balanced dialogue between them and the soloist.“The excellence of every art is its intensity”, and this is never truer than with Schumann. His piano concerto is the spiritual godfather of Greig’s concerto in the same key, and has tended to be overshadowed by that work. Tonight, however, the soloist Frances Rruocco, whose name had unfortunately been omitted from the programme, played with tremendous poise and control and was able to bring out the full beauty and passion of the work. The first and last movements were the highpoints of the concert both for the orchestra and the soloist, with the playful finale making full use of the orchestra and exhibiting the best piano playing all evening. If the slow movement was a little fuzzy around the edges for the orchestra, especially in the strings, Rruocco’s playing was as crisp as at any time during the piece.A fantastic concert for a good cause, this reflects the strength of Oxford New Orchestra that they were able to put on such a strong program so early in Michaelmas term.ARCHIVE: 4th week MT 2005