Airedale Symphony Orchestra
Reviews
Sunday 29 June 2008. King's Hall, Ilkley
A
challenging programme featuring a new work by Leeds composer William Kinghorn
and two of the best-loved orchestral showpieces from the 19th Century attracted
a nearly full house to the ASO's Summer concert.
Smetana's
depiction of the river Vltava is the most frequently played of his six symphonic
poems entitled Ma Vlast (My Fatherland). The full-toned ASO strings
captured the broad flow of the work and the woodwind - a little loud in the
opening - produced some delicate colours in the beautiful "moonlight"
section. Elsewhere, the performance under John Anderson's direction pulsated
with rhythmic vitality.
If
the idea of sandwiching Kinghorn's Fantasia on a theme by Paganini between two
orchestral favourites amounted to "sugaring the pill" - then why not?
Concert promoters usually programme works by dead composers. It is all too rare
an event for one to be able to hear his own work played and then bask in the
applause of both orchestra and audience as Kinghorn did in the King's Hall last
Sunday evening. Originally for solo piano, the Fantasia was re-worked at
John Anderson's suggestion as a set of variations for piano and full symphony
orchestra.
Kinghorn's
frequent and rapid changes in rhythmical patterns placed considerable demands on
the orchestra and they surmounted the challenges of this difficult modern score
with complete assurance. Balance between the orchestra and pianist Julian Cima's
brilliant and highly coloured reading of the solo piano part was always finely
judged.
Tchaikovsky conducted the successful premiere of his Opus 74, the "Pathetique" Symphony, and died just nine days later. The murky depths of the symphony's prologue declaimed by a solo bassoon and string basses portend tragedy and the grieving final bars of the work are utterly devoid of consolation or hope. The ASO strings were at their most poignantly expressive in the symphony's outer movements. The explosive march movement usually provokes spontaneous, if intrusive, applause and certainly deserved to on this occasion but the audience wisely sat on their hands until the end. After the music had ebbed away, a few seconds of stillness before the ovation broke out in response to Anderson and the ASO for a performance which achieved the right balance of strength and pathos.
Review by Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale and Airedale Observer, Ilkley Gazette.
Geoffrey
Mogridge. Ilkley Gazette and Wharfedale and Airedale Observer
Concert on Sunday, 9 March 2008
Airedale
Symphony Orchestra
at
Victoria Hall Saltaire
Sunday
20th January 2008
The
morning of a concert is probably one of those times when ASO conductor John
Anderson dreads answering the telephone - and with good reason - when he learned
that not one but two members of the horn section had been struck down by
seasonal tummy bugs.. A few urgent phone calls secured one
substitute player but that still left the problem of Rossini's Semiramide
overture - its introduction contains a prominent passage for a quartet of horns.
Anderson's ingenious solution was to re-write the passage for three horns and a
bass-trombone. Tummy bugs not withstanding, the overture was executed with
brio and the conductor built up those famous Rossini crescendos to a thrilling
climax.
Geoffrey
Mogridge. Ilkley Gazette and Wharfedale and Airedale Observer
Airedale Symphony Orchestra and Leeds
Philharmonic Chorus at Leeds Town Hall
Saturday 16th June 2007
There
was a time when an overture used to open the majority of orchestral concerts,
but
fashions change and the old format of overture, concerto and symphony is much
less common these days. The ASO's Spring concert revived the tradition in a
programme both generous in length and challenging for audience and musicians. I
must say that I was surprised that so few hands shot up when ASO conductor John
Anderson asked the audience how many of them "knew" Shostakovich's
Tenth Symphony - perhaps this could be put down to natural reticence.
Be
that as it may, we were in familiar territory to begin with: Dvorak's
boisterous Carnival Overture - one of the most flamboyant orchestral showpieces
in the repertoire and one which the eighty members of the ASO took in their
stride. The brass section sounded a little top-heavy at first, but
this was a spirited account of a much-loved warhorse and the poignant central
section was beautifully shaped by Anderson and his players.
Beethoven's
"Emperor" Piano Concerto is equalled in grandeur only by the two
Brahms concerti and Rachmaninov's Third. The last-named was brilliantly played
by the evening's soloist, charismatic Ukrainian pianist Sergei Salov, in his
first Ilkley concert with the ASO a couple of years ago. I felt that Salov
was more at home with the extrovert showmanship of the "Rach 3" and,
as a generous encore last Sunday evening again demonstrated, his virtuosity in
Tchaikovsksy's Theme and Variations. Perhaps, for some tastes, his style
is too overblown, too assertive for Beethoven. Nonetheless, this was a deeply
impressive performance by a gifted young artist whose depth of interpretation
will, given time, match his technical brilliance.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette
11 March 2007. King's Hall, Ilkley
ASO's
annual winter matinee concert at Saltaire's handsomely refurbished Victoria Hall
attracted a full house for a generous programme of three Nineteenth Century
masterworks. The pairing of
Richard Strauss's tone poem, Death and Transfiguration, with Dvorak's 7th
Symphony certainly made for an opulent blending of dark hues and rich
sonorities.
Geoffrey Mogridge
Victoria
Hall, Saltaire
. Sunday 14th January 2007
Geoffrey Mogridge reviews the Airedale Symphony Orchestra concert at the King's Hall, Ilkley
One of those freak programme clashes resulted in simultaneous performances of the Brahms Violin Concerto in both the Airedale Symphony Orchestra’s programme and the Munich Symphony Orchestra’s concert at Bradford St. George’s Hall.
The ASO had chosen to sandwich the Brahms in between significant works by English composers. The programme was opened by Elgar’s splendid Straussian tone poem, the Overture In the South (Alassio). The work demands virtuosity from every section of a very large orchestra and a conductor capable of lifting the sheer ebullience from the pages of this score.
Not surprisingly, the ASO and their conductor, John Anderson, proved that they had all the requisite qualities. This was a beautifully shaped performance, crackling with energy and ending in a triumphal blaze of sound. The haunting central section was notable for the melancholic viola solo, here played by the ASO’s section leader.
I gather that the infrequently heard Walton Concerto was originally envisaged for this concert but no one could complain about yet another Brahms. Certainly not this fine performance, gilded as it was, by the supremely effortless playing of Alexandra Wood. She made her instrument sing in the lyrical first two movements, whilst her attack in the finale was always crisp and vigorous.
The nine symphonies of Ralph Vaughn Williams have been neglected by concert promoters (in this region) in recent years and so this rare outing for A London Symphony was eagerly awaited.
The composer deploys a large orchestra to create a kaleidoscopic canvas of the capital. There is more than a whiff of Elgarian nostalgia as RVW sweeps his listeners along with him in a gorgeous evocation of the bustle and the landmarks.
John Anderson and his 80 strong orchestra clearly relished the exuberance of the piece with playing that was brimming over with rhythmic vitality.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette
14 November 2005. King's Hall, Ilkley
ASO’s astonishing level of virtuosity
Geoff Mogridge reviews the Airedale Symphony Orchestra concert at the King’s Hall, Ilkley, Sunday 18th June 2006
The
near-capacity audience attracted to the King’s Hall for a programme of 20th
Century American music speaks volumes for the high standards evident in every
section of the ASO.
It
also amply demonstrates the strength of the bond forged by the orchestra and
conductor John Anderson with their Ilkley audience.
The
four works for large orchestra by Aaron Copland, George Gershwin and Samuel
Barber could hardly be described at standard repertoire. The technical
difficulties of any one of them present a challenge, especially for a
non-professional band. Apparently, not for the ASO – this is exactly the
kind of music that Anderson and his intrepid players perform with panache, even
a sense of abandon, a quality that would not have been appropriate for the
evening’s rarity: Barber’s First and Second Essays for Orchestra.
The
first Essay is redolent of the outpouring of grief and sorrow in Barber’s best
known, the Adagio for Strings. I scribbled in my programme the words
‘anguished strings’ as the ASO string section produced a dark and luxuriant
tone to capture this mood.
Both
Essays were played at an astonishing level of virtuosity and the conductor
rightly brought each section to their feet to acknowledge the applause.
Gershwin’s
Piano Concerto in F is an instantly appealing combination of Romantic concerto,
Dixieland rhythms, and the Blues. The first and last movements bristle with
rhythmic vitality. The central movement is melancholy and nocturnal in mood.
The
only problem with Sunday’s otherwise excellent performance was one of balance.
Gershwin’s dense orchestration occasionally swamped the pianist, Peter
Bradley-Fulgoni.
Copland’s stirring patriotic ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ opened the concert with an orgy of brass and thunderous timpani. The boisterous Dance Episodes from the ballet ‘Rodeo’ were given sparking, idiomatic performances. Anderson and members of the orchestra supplied the ‘Yeee-aaaws’ but the conductor was less successful when he endeavoured to persuade the audience to join in!
AIREDALE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Centenary of the birth of Dmitri Shostakovich
falls this year, but it has inevitably been overshadowed by Mozart's
250th Anniversary. It was
typically enterprising of the Airedale Symphony to acknowledge the
great Soviet composer with a work less familiar to audiences in the
West.
The Jazz Suite No 2 isn't in fact jazz at all, but
light music featuring tuneful marches, waltzes and polkas. You could
imagine this "music while you work" being pumped from
crackling speakers in factories and collective farms the length and
breadth of the land.
Scored for large orchestra including piano and
saxophones, it is the sort of piece that the ASO and their conductor
John Anderson relish. It was played here with flair, precision and a
tangible sense of enjoyment that clearly delighted an almost full
house.
Continuing this all Russian - or to be more accurate -
Russian and Armenian programme, the ASO turned to another novelty -
the Trumpet Concerto of Alexander Aratiunian. This virtuoso showpiece
was composed in 1949 and is widely favoured as an audition piece for
trumpeters anxious to display their prowess.
It is perhaps unlikely to displace the concertos of
Hummel and Haydn in the classical music charts, but is worth hearing
for its novelty value. There is a particularly attractive, quieter
section in which the muted trumpet is played against shimmering high
strings and soft woodwind. Murray
Greig, principal with the Orchestra of Opera North since 1989, was the
dexterous trumpeter on this occasion.
The virtuosity of the soloist was well matched by the
virtuosity of the substantial orchestral forces in the fast and
intricate accompaniment.
After the interval, the listener was in more familiar
territory which, for the
orchestra, could have posed even greater dangers. Khachaturian's Spartacus
ballet is best known to us by the beautiful Adagio of Spartacus and
Phrygia. The ASO played the second suite, which contains some
energetic and very fast numbers, with the same panache displayed
earlier in the evening. One
could have only wished for a warmer and fuller string tone in that
famous Adagio, but we live in an imperfect world.
Borodin's lavishly scored Polovtsian Dances, from his
opera Prince Igor, brought the concert to a barnstorming conclusion. It demonstrated yet again- the
extraordinary rapport that John Anderson has established with his
orchestra.
The ASO's next Kings Hall concert is Sunday 18th June.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Airedale and Wharfedale Observer. 17 March 2006
This
magical score (The Pines of Rome) positively shimmered in
Anderson’s hands. One
of the work’s most enchanting sections requires the recorded song of
a nightingale (projected on this occasion from a balcony box) against
a background of tremolando strings.
This was executed with the utmost finesse and delicacy before
the full orchestra swelled for the thunderous climax.
Anderson
secured a performance of blazing conviction from his orchestra.
(Berlioz. Symphonie Fantastique). It is gratifying to note
the attention to dynamic shading and colouring, especially in the
brilliant Waltz movement and the pastoral Adagio.
A hugely auspicious start to the ASO’s new season.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette
20 November 2005. King's Hall, Ilkley
The spotlight fell on the horn section of the
ASO during last Sunday’s concert which featured music by Wagner,
Richard Strauss and Mahler; each represented by an “early” work.
Wagner was in his early thirties when his
opera, Tannhäuser, was premiered
in Dresden. The
magnificent overture begins sublimely with the Pilgrims’ Chorus theme
announced by woodwind and horns. Just a shade more pianissimo would
have been appreciated from the latter, but the performance as a whole
was carefully structured by conductor John Anderson. Particularly delightful was
the fleeting quality of the violas, flutes and oboes in the swirling
Bacchanalian music.
More than half-a-century separates the two
horn concertos of Richard Strauss: his first Opus from 1884, when
Strauss had reached the
tender age of 21, captures the ebullience of youth especially in its
brilliant finale. It was played here with complete assurance and tonal
richness by Stuart Battye, the ASO’s section leader.
The young Gustav Mahler
on the other hand, evokes the sounds of nature in his Symphony No 1,
premiered in 1889.
The buoyant open air
character of the first movement was characterised by some finely
etched woodwind solos and those exuberant whooping horns.
As in the Wagner, Anderson’s overall sense of
structure was impressive and his reading was thoughtfully layered,
building inexorably to the mighty finale.
There was a palpable
rush of adrenalin when
the conductor brought the entire horn section to their feet for the
concluding fanfares. I
cannot recall this practice in any previous performance, but according
to a programme note, it was done by John Barbirolli during the 1950s.
What a splendid way of helping to dispel the stuffiness that some people associate with classical concerts. Conductors should try this more often.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette
26 June 2005. King's Hall, Ilkley
Richly deserved applause for the Airedale Symphony Orchestra
Three orchestral showpieces made up an attractive – if shorter than usual programme – from the ASO under the genial direction of principal conductor John Anderson.
The evening’s curtain raiser, Berlioz’s rowdy ‘Roman Carnival’ overture drew fine playing from all departments and amply demonstrated a strength of ensemble long since taken for granted.
From a 19th Century master, we moved swiftly on to one of the 20th Century’s most gifted orchestrators, Maurice Ravel composed his glittering jazz-infused G Major piano concerto in 1929. Soloist Julian Cima wittily coloured the punchy rhythmic outer movements and achieved an impressive range of expression in the serene middle movement.
Throughout the concerto, the panache of the orchestral accompaniment by the members of the ASO was always striking. It augured well for the monumental work after the interval: Ravel’s brilliant and very Russian sounding orchestration of Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition.’
Mussorgsky’s original piano suite vividly illustrates ten of the images of the architect and painter Victor Hartmann, a close companion of Ravel. Hartmann’s untimely death inspired Ravel to orchestrate the suite and the result is one of the most enduring showpieces in the repertoire.
Surely then a challenge for a non-professional orchestra; but for these musicians who now have Stravinsky’s ‘ Rite of Spring’ under their belts, ‘Pictures’ might have seemed a relatively light assignment.
There was an abundance of colour in the the ASO’s performance: pungent brass and a silky saxophone solo in ‘The Old Castle,’ animated woodwind in ‘The Ballet of Chicks in their Shells’ and spooky, atmospheric brass and strings in ‘Catacombae.’
‘The Great Gate of Kiev’ was splendidly brought to life in all its glory and grandeur. The customary round of audience applause as the leader leaves the stage at the end of these concerts was richly deserved on this occasion, as always.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette
10 March 2005 King's Hall, Ilkley
Airedale Symphony Orchestra’s triumph
THE orchestra for this eagerly awaited concert occupied nearly half of the stalls plus, on stage, an impressive line-up of eight horns, two tubas and timps.
Stravinsky’s seminal score, The Rite of Spring, composed for Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet and the subject of a notorious 1913 Paris premiere, was the reason for these huge forces.
Before the savagery of Stravinsky’s orchestration was unleashed on the Ilkley audience, the evening began on a more sedate note with a suite from Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake. There was much to commend the ASO’s performance of this much-loved music; violin, cello and harp solos were finely wrought, the overall tightness of ensemble and a full string tone augured well for the meatier fare to follow.
The famous Act 1 waltz was played with a nice lilt under conductor John Anderson’s sensitive direction. Trumpets and trombones sounded a tad too prominent but perhaps they were warming up for The Rite.
Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto presented, in some respects, the greatest challenge. It requires a soloist with immense physical stamina to tackle the fiendishly difficult marathon solo part and convey the romanticism and exuberance of the work.
Young Ukrainian pianist Sergei Salov clearly possesses the required attributes in abundance. He swept all before him in a performance of breathtaking virtuosity.
Rachmaninov’s highly coloured orchestration was quite brilliantly brought to life by the Airedale musicians. John Anderson’s astutely judged tempi and dynamic balance set the seal on an astounding performance that provoked a storm of applause from the capacity audience.
Salov’s encore after his pianistic fireworks could have hardly been more apt; a gentle E Flat intermezzo by Brahms.
Stravinsky once said that the violent Russian spring seemed to begin in an hour and was like the whole earth cracking. Indeed, his Rite of Spring is almost volcanic in its thrust and power. The barbaric dissonance and rhythmic propulsion of this music hold the listener’s attention in a vice-like grip from the opening bassoon solo to the final seismic crash. The ASO’s exciting performance captured the primal quality of The Rite more vividly than many professional orchestras and it is a measure of John Anderson’s mastery of this complex score that he made us sit up and listen to every note.
Dynamic contrasts were well-judged and orchestral textures sounded crystal clear in the intimate auditorium. The driving rhythmic energy of this performance was stunning and will long be remembered.
Anderson brought each section of his orchestra to their feet to acknowledge the cheers and bravos. He then modestly held aloft Stravinsky’s score to remind us where most of the credit should go.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Ilkley Gazette
7 November 2004. King's Hall, Ilkley
Atmospheric orchestra caps attractive night
The ASO’s Summer concert attracted a near capacity audience for an attractive programme which reversed the usual order of things.
The E Minor Symphony of Sibelius occupied the first half, leaving the blazing finale of Stravinsky’s Firebird music to bring the concert to an appropriately roof-raising climax.
We have come to expect very high standards from these musicians and were not disappointed. Conductor John Anderson produced an expansive reading of this romantic work notable for expressive string playing and some lovely woodwind solos.
Anderson and his 80 players created an atmospheric subtly coloured performance (of the Firebird Suite) laden with menace and mystery.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Ilkley Gazette
27 June 2004. King's Hall, Ilkley.
Symphony No.1 (Sibelius) Violin Concerto No. 3 (Mozart) Firebird Suite (Stravinsky)
Last Sunday’s audience was privileged to hear a finely judged performance with Howard Breakspear, the Orchestra of Opera North’s principal violist as the deeply expressive soloist. Breakspear captured the spirit of the early Walton gem and the ASO produced some of their best playing for him.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette
21 March 2004. King's Hall, Ilkley.
Four Sea Interludes (Britten) Viola Concerto (Walton) Symphony No. 1 (Brahms)
An appreciative
Westville audience welcomed one of the north’s leading symphony
orchestras to the school hall on Saturday night. It was great to see
so many children at the concert and to see how much they enjoyed the
experience – many commenting on their way out that they didn’t
expect to like it as much as they obviously did.
To have over sixty top class musicians playing Beethoven’s Fifth
only a few feet away from you is something special.
Trevor Wilson. Westville House School.
24 January 2004
Great playing is a highlight
Conductor John Anderson drew some marvellous playing
from his forces: rhythmic energy, a rounded string tone, incandescent
brass and some exquisite woodwind solos were qualities in abundance
during this concert.
The woodwind, of course, had a field day conveying the
sultry eroticism of the Debussy Prelude and Ravel’s ravishing
evocation of dawn at the opening of the second Daphnis and Chloë
suite.
Anderson and his players delivered a taut and highly charged reading of the piece (Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony). Little wonder that the large audience responded with such warmth and enthusiasm.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Ilkley Gazette
9 November 2003. King's Hall, Ilkley.
Debussy's Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un Faune. Ravel Daphnis and Chloë suite 2. Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony
Last Sunday’s performance by the Airedale Symphony Orchestra found the conductor in his most expansive mood. Anderson clearly loves this music and he gave us a broad and spacious reading but with sufficient bite in the energetic scherzo to counter the sentimentality of the beautiful adagio movement.
The ASO responded with bright and confident playing in all departments; a polished string tone, mellifluent brass and some beautifully pointed woodwind solos were the hallmarks of the thrilling performance which, I have to admit, did not seem a minute too long.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette
22 June 2003. King's Hall, Ilkley.
Rachmaninov's Second Symphony
THE ASO’s Ilkley concerts are eagerly awaited events which generally pack the King’s Hall to the roof. Last Sunday’s programme, which included some of the most beloved pieces in the repertoire, was no exception.
Thomas Wharton really knows how to make his instrument sing and his interpretation of this king of cello concertos was expansive, rich in tone colours and tinged with longing. Wharton’s innate musicianship inspired the orchestra to produce some of the finest playing of the evening.
Jacqueline Cima, orchestra leader, was the expressive, and one might also say, seductive, violin soloist who impersonated Sheherazade in Rimsky Korskakov’s famous symphonic suite. This is one of the great Russian showpieces and one which the orchestra surmounted with evident relish.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette
30th March 2003. Victoria Hall, Saltaire
Dvorak Cello Concert and Sheherazade
A sell-out audience enjoyed a superb programme at the King’s Hall, ambitious in its depth, entertaining in its quality. The Airedale Symphony Orchestra demonstrated why they are one of the best amateur ensembles in the North of England, with an almost flawless night of popular classics. Guest soloist Thomas Wharton gave an exquisite rendition of a classic that truly demonstrates the hauntingly beautiful qualities of the cello as a solo instrument and was rewarded with a rapturous ovation. The final piece on the programme was Rimsky Korsakov’s Sheherazade, always a beautiful work, it showed the Orchestra off superbly. The last time I heard this was two years ago with the Hallé, and I can’t remember it being any better. Credit for all this must go to the dedication of the orchestra and, of course, conductor John Anderson, whose professionalism and experience shone through on a star filled night at the King’s Hall
Unsolicited E-mail received from a member of the audience
30th March, 2003. King's Hall Ilkley
THE warm sonority of brass, woodwind and strings were highlighted in this
imaginative programme which attracted a capacity
Sunday afternoon audience to the Victoria
Hall.
The Serenade for Wind instruments by
the 18 year-old Richard Strauss clearly
reveals the expressive harmony and the long phrasing which were to become the
composer’s hallmarks. The ASO’s woodwind and
brass, under associate conductor John Farthing, played this fresh, youthful score
with remarkable refinement and feeling
for texture and sonority.
Vaughan Williams’s
sumptuous Fantasia on a Theme by
Thomas Tallis was..... a mature performance which combined
delicacy and richness of tone.
(Haydn symphony) This is music of deep feeling and
elegance
which fizzles with energy and optimism.
Qualities which were underpinned in this
performance of No 104 in D Major and
played with such infectious enjoyment by
John Anderson and the ASO.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer
19th January 2003. Victoria Hall, Saltaire
There can be no doubt that John Anderson, the Airedale Symphony Orchestra’s genial principal Conductor relishes a challenge and his skills as an orchestra trainer have created a highly disciplined ensemble whose playing is infused with vitality.
The sheer athleticism and precision of this performance (of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony) was quite astounding. The famous third movement for plucked strings and featuring some cruelly exposed woodwind solos was particularly effective. Anderson whipped up the tempo in the ebullient finale to create a joyous explosion of sound which almost had the audience dancing into the street.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer
Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. 17th November 2002. King's Hall, Ilkley
Anderson revealed an uncanny sense of the architecture of this monumental score. Orchestra and choir responded to his magisterial conducting with fervour and conviction to produce a performance which will linger in the memory.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Telegraph & Argus, Ilkley Gazette, Wharfedale & Airedale Observer
Mahler Resurrection Symphony at Bradford Grammar School on Sunday, June 23
Mahler’s Symphony No 2 Resurrection is a monumental work requiring huge orchestral forces. Conductor John Anderson inspired his forces to give the performance of a lifetime; it contained passion, drama, rhythmic vitality, tenderness and sheer excitement. This was music making of the highest calibre.
George Mitchell. Ripon Gazette, Harrogate Advertiser
Mahler ‘Resurrection' Symphony. 22nd June 2002. Ripon Cathedral
Dazzling Dexterity from the ASO
It was good to see the King’s hall filled to capacity for the orchestra’s ambitious Spring concert which focused on America. Conductor John Anderson and his ASO opened the programme with a crisp and beautifully structured account of the suite from the ballet “Appalachian Spring.”
Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto makes virtuoso demands on both soloist and orchestra. Marat Bisengaliev combined deeply felt playing for the lyrical outpouring in the first two movements with the dazzling dexterity required for the finale. The strength and discipline of the orchestra ensemble was evident throughout and there was some especially fine playing from the woodwind department.
The ASO’s woodwind had a further chance to shine in Dvorak's New World Symphony and they did not disappoint in the yearning adagio movement which is crowned by that gorgeous solo for the cor anglais. Audience response was enthusiastic and we eagerly await the performances of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony at Ripon Cathedral and Bradford Grammar School on June 22 and 23 respectively.
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer
Copland, Barber and Dvorak. 14 April 2002
“The high standard which the ASO have attained with John Anderson at its helm was immediately evident in Wagner’s awe-inspiring Funeral Music from the Third Act of Twilight of the Gods.”
“Outstanding solo horn and woodwind contributions crowned the performance (of the Four Last Songs)”
“John Anderson and his orchestra reached the very heart of Anton Bruckner’s hour-long Seventh Symphony, and we were always conscious that something majestic was unfolding.”
“The strings produced a warm and opulent tone and the ASO’s splendid brass section, complete with a quartet of Wagner tubas, was positively incandescent.”
Geoffrey Mogridge. Wharfedale & Airedale Observer
Wagner, Strauss and Bruckner. 11 November, 2001
“John Anderson shaped a performance which was notable for its range of dynamics from the softest pianissimos to almost overwhelming crescendos in the big dramatic climaxes. He inspired the Airedale Symphony Orchestra and Bradford Festival Choral Society, assembled on the stage and in the body of the hall, to play and sing with blazing fervour. A triumph then for all concerned.”
Geoffrey Mogridge. Ilkley Gazette and Wharfedale Observer.
Verdi Requiem. 23 June 2001
“Thank you for your help in getting a ticket for the superb concert on 5 November. I have written a review of the concerto performance* (which I thought stunning) for the Elgar Society Journal and, of course, will let you have a copy when published.”
*Elgar Violin Concerto with Marat Bisengaliev, 5 November 2000.
Letter from Mr. Carl Newton, Eastbourne
“This was the most passionate and power-driven version I have ever heard. It was electrifying. The Airedale and their conductor turned in a performance of commitment and power which would have put some of our professional bands to shame.”
Carl Newton. Elgar Society Journal.
Elgar Violin Concerto with Marat Bisengaliev, 5 November 2000.
“The finale to our evening was well worth the expectation: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony. The richness of the sound emanating from the orchestra was most noteworthy, bringing more than a few tears to my eyes, and a worthy finale to what was a most enjoyable evening. Many thanks to the Airedale Symphony Orchestra for making my evening, and long may they prosper and give joy to music lovers.”
Michael Le Brocq. St. Brelade, Jersey.
Concert of Beethoven, Haydn, Elgar and Holst. May 2001
“The ASO, under its principal conductor, John Anderson, played with excellent ensemble and sheer commitment.”
Sunday Times
“It was a rewarding opportunity to hear the Saint-Saëns piece which is sadly neglected, and the huge ensemble who performed Carmina Burana delivered a performance infused with passion of every kind. The performance had wit, sparkle and amazing energy. The audience not only supported Save the Children, they also enjoyed one of the finest concerts of the season.”
Nigel Schofield. Telegraph & Argus
Organ Symphony (Saint-Saëns) and Carmina Burana (Carl Orff) June 2000
“Beethoven’s Symphony no. 7 is well-loved, and not at all easy for a non-professional orchestra. The Scherzo (a true trap for the unwary!) came off brilliantly and at a tempo which might have daunted even professionals. The conductor – John Anderson, does not lack courage, and his handling of the whole programme was confident and inspiring, and he was rewarded by a devotion and disciplined response from the ASO. A delightful concert.”
Yorkshire Post
“Ceris Deverill, soprano, was fortunate in having her arias by Verdi, Puccini and Bizet accompanied so sensitively and this was one of the best performances combining a highly accomplished singer and an amateur orchestra that I have heard.”
Yorkshire Evening Post
“John Anderson directed the orchestra with an easy assurance through the changes of texture and mood, drawing a professional sound from the amateurs by making up for technical inadequacies with some fresh interpretation, precise phrasing and joyful musicianship.”
Yorkshire Evening Post
“The ASO is a fine ensemble, and in their conductor they have the most sympathetic and unpretentiously musical of guides.”
Yorkshire Post
“William Baines’s Symphony in C minor was performed from manuscript in an edition by George Kennaway, who conducted a spirited reading...The enterprise which brought this symphony to its first ever performance was quite exceptional. Their well-conceived programme also included Moeran’s Cello Concerto with the excellent Miriam Roycroft.”
Musical Times
“It was a tribute to the Grassington Festival’s enterprising spirit and to the ASO and their conductor for a praiseworthy performance.”
Yorkshire Post
“To discover many other such instances where a regional orchestra appears with an artist of truly international calibre one must go through records with a fine-tooth comb, for few violinists bring Marat Bisengaliev’s incandescent virtuosity and meltingly expressive tone to Paganini’s formidable, marvellously entertaining Violin Concerto no.1. With engaging lightness of touch and wit from the ASO and George Kennaway here was a happy partnership and stellar artistry...the evening ended with Elgar’s noble Enigma Variations. This robust performance was full of eager optimism and reflective nostalgia; indeed a testament for its era and a fitting end to an evening of staggering virtuosity.”
Yorkshire Post
