Review: Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus/Harlequin Brass ***
Published Date:
07 November 2008
By Steven Draper
Despite a bright hors-d'oeuvre in Montiverdi's Overture to Orfeo, the first half of this feast of voices and brass was a bit insipid. The eight items felt a bit inconsequential, there was a distinct lack of expression in Gabrieli's Gloria, the perennial problem of lack of tenors was exposed, and the constant rearrangement of the stage didn't help.
After some smooth but sober Brahms, Darius Battiwalla at last managed to coax some life out of the Philharmonic Chorus in Bruckner's magisterial Ecce Sacerdos, bolstered by the trombones from Harlequin Brass. Fortunately, the fare continued to improve after the interval with a spirited performance of Vaughan Williams's O Clap Your Hands.
Harlequin Brass then showed why they are an award-winning ensemble with a stunningly bright account of Gordon Langford's London Miniatures.
The icing on the cake then was Rutter; his style in the Te Deum and the Gloria typically over-sweet on occasion, but Harlequin Brass, reinforced with percussion, shone and the Philharmonic continued to sing with confidence
Sheffield City Hall
The full article contains 178 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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Last Updated:
07 November 2008 10:17 AM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Yorkshire
