Recent Reviews
Tewkesbury Abbey
8 November 2008
Britten War Requiem
With a large choir and orchestra and attentive audience, the Abbey was
packed for an impressive performance of Britten’s War Requiem. Written
from his pacifist stand against war and combining the Latin Requiem Mass
with a selection of poems by the First World War poet Wilfred Owen, it requires
large forces which have to be firmly controlled. David Curtis was the impressive
conductor for the task as he drew musicianship and interpretation from his
musicians through his confident understanding of the requirements of the
score.
The Cheltenham Symphony Chorus gave of their best throughout this difficult
work, with its rapidly changing time signatures and wide dynamic range.
Notable was the build up in the chorus beginning Recodare and the rhythmic
control in Quam olim Abrahae. The three soloists had all given serious study
to the words, consequently much vocal colouring was evident. The clear voice
of soprano Rachel Chapman rang above the choir; tenor Richard Edgar-Wilson
showed sympathy in What Passing Bells; Alastair Chapman gave a deeply felt
interpretation of his baritone solos.
Although unseen, the young choristers of Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum
sang clearly with excellent diction and pitch.
Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra was outstanding in its support, none more
so than the percussion section which greatly enhanced the drama.
(Anne Dunn, Gloucestershire Echo)
Église St Maurice, Annecy
1st August 2008
This Friday 1st August, the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra gave a concert at L'église Saint Maurice, a concert of great beauty under the direction of their elegant and smiling conductor David Curtis. He directed the orchestra with great energy and we must especially acknowledge the solo violinist for her interpretation of Max Bruch’s concerto in G minor, Op 26.
One regret was that more of the population of Annecy did not attend this event which was deserving of particular recognition. Perhaps the concert could have been publicised a little more widely.
(A local musician's blog)
Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham
11th May 2008
Under the usual calm control of conductor David Curtis the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra gave the first performance of Concerto for French Horn and Orchestra by Tom Kane. It was a bold move to begin with solo horn, but the work was in the capable hands of Alec Frank-Gemmill, a soloist of merit, who obviously enjoyed this new work.
If applause is any criterion, the audience also thoroughly approved.
The first lyrical movement showed that Kane knows how to balance his forces by contrasting horn with woodwind, mainly the flute. These contrasting passages continued throughout, and there was judicious use of trumpets in the last movement. The long sinuous lines in the middle movement were played with really rich horn tone.
This composition hopefully will be taken into the repertoire.
Anne Dunn (Gloucestershire Echo)
Cheltenham Town Hall
1st March 2008
David Curtis and the CSO did the Mayor of Cheltenham’s Charity Appeal
proud with their latest concert which celebrated the music of Vienna. The
choice of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 21 as the centrepiece of the
concert was a most fortunate one.
Douglas Smith, the founder of the CSO who died in January, was particularly
fond of Mozart and often performed it with the orchestra in times past.
He would certainly have admired the finesse and agility of the young Chinese
pianist, Wu Qian.
In the nonchalant opening movement her hands danced over the keys and she
dealt with the concerto’s two challenging cadenzas with flair and
understanding.
In the concluding Rondo, Qian matched the orchestra’s exuberance with
some dazzling turns of speed.
The rest of the programme was devoted to the music of Johann Strauss II
starting off with the glorious melodies from the Overture to Die Fledermaus.
After recent visits to Cheltenham by smaller Strauss orchestras it was a
treat to hear his music played by a larger ensemble. Attention to orchestral
detail created a great atmosphere and made the Emperor Waltz a particularly
magical experience.
Roger Jones (Gloucestershire Echo)
Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham
16th December 2007
It was a joy to hear the full-blooded sound of an orchestra in the Pump
Room when David Curtis conducted the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra with
incisive direction without fuss in a programme of descriptive Russian music.
The Leckhampton Primary School Year 6 Choir ably conducted by Jo Thomas
gave charming performances of two Christmas songs, singing securely in harmony
and with clear diction. They joined the orchestra for a section of Winter
Bonfire Op122 by Prokofiev, a telling description of an outing made by Soviet
Young Pioneers.
The enthusiastic Overture Ruslan and Lyudmila by Glinka was followed by
Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije Suite Op60 which describes the life of the fictitious
eponymous character. There was resounding work from the brass ensemble,
and the composer's harmonic shifts were achieved smoothly. The well-known
Troika produced sensitive playing from the bassoon.
Pianist Samantha Ward was the masterly
soloist in Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. This doesn't appear
as frequently in the repertoire as it once did, so it was a treat to hear
a fresh interpretation. She kept the momentum and was a compelling and musical
artist.
Although not phrasing Rachmaninov's Vocalise as a singer would, violinist
Amelia Jones, the orchestra's leader, and harpist Jemima Phillips gave it
a sympathetic performance.
This satisfying concert concluded with Sabre Dance by Khachaturian played
at a furious speed with confidence.
Anne Dunn (Gloucestershire Echo)
Tewkesbury Abbey
13th October 2007
THE young cellist Oliver Coates dazzled the Abbey audience with his playing of Dvorak's Cello Concerto and proved a worthy recipient of the prestigious Philip Dorothy Green Young Concert Artists' Award. The spirit of Dvorak's native Bohemia pervaded the concerto beginning with some evocative horn playing followed by the warm sounds of the woodwind which transported everyone to a different realm. Once the scene was set, the cello worked its way into the music - a cello that did not merely play, but sang.
The nostalgic Adagio was full of colour and depth, with some wonderful moments where cello and woodwind were juxtaposed. Then came the vigorous finale with its lyrical dreamy ending.
Guest conductor Ben Palmer also made a favourable impression, not least for the way in which he faced up to the challenge of the Abbey's acoustics in that most Romantic of works, Tchaikovsky's Pathétique Symphony.
Overall Mr Palmer managed to coax clear, disciplined playing from the different sections of the orchestra, but inevitably the clarity was lost in the louder sections.
This was a performance of great conviction. The opening was suitably sombre and then the strings exposed the nervous tensions within the work.
The second movement conjured up images of a ball in St Petersburg, and there was plenty of vitality and colour in the Allegro.
The marvellous Finale was characterised by sensitivity and restraint.
Roger Jones (Gloucestershire Echo)
Leonard Stanley Priory
30th June 2007
One of Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra's favourite concert venues is the Priory Church at Leonard Stanley. It is not only for the warmth of welcome but also for the enthusiasm of the audience that we have returned there each year for nearly 30 years to take part in their Music at the Priory summer festival.
And in more recent years it has been the event where the orchestra has performed a concerto with that year's Gloucestershire Young Musician of the Year. This all combines to make our visit to Leonard Stanley a much enjoyed concert for musicians and audience alike.
This year the winner of the GYM competition was a violinist, Edgar Bailey. He had chosen the Bruch Concerto No. 1 in G minor. It was clear that, despite his relative youth, Edgar had captured both the structure and the substance of this work. Of particular note was the beauty and sensitivity of his playing in the Adagio at the centre of the work. In complete contrast was the quicksilver last movement, marked allegro energico, where both soloist and orchestra just managed to stay on the rails, no mean feat in this rapid music.
Edgar received a full-blooded and thoroughly deserved reception from the Leonard Stanley audience. It is a great shame that this is to be the last year of Music at the Priory. We shall miss it.
Andrew Chapman (CSO)
Tewkesbury Abbey
9th June 2007
CSO is sprightly breath of fresh air
Two years ago Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra premiered Andrew Chapman's Cello Concerto in Tewkesbury Abbey. His latest work, Three Movements for Orchestra, was composed with the Abbey's acoustics in mind.
By keeping passages for full orchestra to a minimum, and using smaller groups of instruments he achieved greater clarity of texture than is usual in the building's vastness.
There were hints of Messiaen in the first movement, while the second was of a more reflective and religious nature. The sprightly finale, with its contrasting rhythms, worked particularly well and David Curtis' assured conducting kept the orchestra well on track.
Mahler's gargantuan Third Symphony took up the lion's share of the concert in aid of the Gloucestershire MS Therapy Centre.
All of the county's brass players seemed to have been pressed into service for the sprawling first movement, and David Curtis performed miracles with the orchestra to get it through such a gruelling marathon intact.
Fortunately, the other movements are shorter and more manageable. The second, played with the utmost delicacy, came as a breath of fresh air, and in the fourth the voice of contralto Diana Moore soared gloriously above the sounds of the night.
The cheerful fifth movement brought in the ladies of the Cheltenham Symphony Chorus singing excitedly about angels and the Tewkesbury Schola Cantorum imitating the sound of bells. The sublime Adagio which concluded the work was a moving experience for everyone.
Roger Jones (Gloucestershire Echo)
All Saints Church, Cheltenham
17th March 2007
Martinu gives orchestra a melodic trump card
Czech composers whose works reflect the nostalgia, folk roots and rural idylls of their homeland featured in this concert given in aid of the Gloucestershire Arthritis Trust. Dvorak’s Symphonic Variations, of which there are 27, are a seamless entity but were discernibly played under the baton of David Curtis. The music culminates in a fugal Finale which was assertively delivered.
The Meditation for String Orchestra by Suk was pleasingly gentle with its improved tonal quality in the violins.
Two symphonic poems from Smetana’s Ma Vlast depicting rural Czechoslovakia were confidently played. In Vltava and From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields the flutes gave sparkle to the flowing melodic strings depicting the great river Vltava.
For me, the trump card of the evening was the inclusion of Martinu’s Sixth Symphony composed in the early 1950’s. Having only three movements it doesn’t fit the classical symphonic form and has a freedom of development which Martinu saw as a challenge and a goal.
The Orchestra created an interesting atmosphere with the undercurrent of buzzing from the strings and a frequently heard three-note motif. Beautiful melodies shone through in the final movement securing a successful interpretation of a work the orchestra should consider including in forthcoming programmes.
Roger Jones (Gloucestershire Echo)
All Saints Viola Team v The Great Czech Composers
17th March 2007
Ground : All Saints Church, Cheltenham
Order of play : Dvorak Symphonic Variations Op.78; Martinu Symphony no.6; Suk Meditation for string orchestra; Smetana Vltava, From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields
This match had been eagerly anticipated, but not without some trepidation. Pre-match preparations had been intense, necessitating months of limbering up with Sevcik exercises. Immediately prior to the match, team members made sure they had consumed enough carbohydrates to last the course. Fortunately, no-one was dope-tested, as large quantities of paracetomol and ibuprofen had been illicitly carried on to the pitch in kitbags.
The ASV team, playing both at their home ground and in their customary home strip of All Black, was ably captained by rising star (and future international player) Jo, on her third capped outing for the CSO. The team has been badly affected by injury this season, with many players having to undergo major surgery as a direct result of run-ins with other composers. This match was no exception, with four of the ASV's players starting the match on the bench, out of the running with injuries. This was particularly unfortunate, as these players were also the tallest, thereby losing the team any height advantage they would otherwise have had. One such player was in the stands, bucket and sponge at the ready. Some of the team wished they were with him. However, all six remaining female team members were definitely up for the challenge. They had taken the precaution of including the regular Official Team Physiotherapist in the side and were also fielding a former player from an American team, acquired during the recent transfer window, in the hope that this surprise tactic might also help them outwit the opposition.
First up was Dvorak. The ASV team all had previous form with Dvorak. As a retired premier league player himself, his reputation was intimidating. After all, he knew what was technically possible. However, he made the fatal mistake of neglecting to include his traditional 1/3; 2/4 rapid finger passage set piece, which meant that his attack, despite its name, contained little or no variation and the ASV team went 1 - 0 up straight away.
Next onto the field was Martinu. He was a bit of an unknown quantity for the ASV side, who had only been able to use audio, rather than video footage to prepare for this encounter. His initial tactics were certainly impressive - he was obviously under the mistaken impression that he was actually competing against a violin section and made copious use of the treble clef, in a vain attempt to confuse the team. Occasionally he resorted to cheap tricks and slipped in an alto clef under the net. His use of badly handwritten manuscript paper to gain a visual advantage was inspired, especially when the action split into three parts. However, the quick thinking ASV team adapted their play instantaneously, adopting a well-drilled formation, with the outside players peeling off to tackle the really high notes, leaving the inside players to provide stability where it really mattered, on the ground. Bad light nearly stopped play on several occasions.
Half-time score 1 -1
After the half-time team pep talk and by now traditional photo opportunity, the ASV team had regrouped and after a minor exhibition match against Suk, whose elegant moves drew gasps of admiration from the crowd, but didn't alter the score, were ready to take on Smetana from the opposite end. He was quite well known to the ASV players, some of whom had actually studied his techniques as far back as 1973, when required to do so by the now defunct Joint Matriculation Board. Unfortunately, time had dimmed precise recollection of his work and the ASV team were initially taken aback by its pace. In his first assault, Smetana adopted one of his standard formations and sent down shoals of shimmering semiquavers, in an attempt to out-manoeuvre the team. In response, they raised their game and charged. Accidentals littered the pitch, but on they raced, barely drawing breath. Their concentration was such that they were able to ignore an illegal hunting party which crossed their sightlines and were undeterred by a mob of local peasants who invaded the pitch and conducted a wedding. Even a group of nymphs disporting themselves on the sidelines wasn’t enough to distract our heroines. At one point at least one team member was hoping that a lifebelt might be thrown in to help them, but one glance at the referee convinced her that this thought was in vain – as with all referees, he was looking the other way at the time and was obviously determined to keep the action moving. An appeal to the assistant referees was disallowed.
At the finish, with no time for either a quick towel-down or blow-dry, the team was catapulted straight out of the water and into the woods, for the forest stages of the evening's fixture, no nook or cranny of which went unexplored. Exhausted, they drove themselves on in a frenzy, through both the land speed record for semiquavers and the pain barrier. It should be noted that two members were brave enough to attempt this stage without either supplementary oxygen or their reading glasses. Some players started to hallucinate and began to see pixies, goblins and other fantastical creatures appearing out of the thickets. However, by the end, on open ground and with the referee’s express permission to use the controversial open ‘G’ string tactic, the ASV made one last supreme effort and out-played the opposition, who sank subdued, back into the soil of the country formerly known as Czechoslovakia. The ASV team were battered, but (unusually for them) unbowed.
Final score ASV Team 2 Great Czech Composers 1
Interviewed immediately afterwards, team captain Jo praised her colleagues: “The pressure was relentless, but the girls done good against such a heavyweight opposition. The Composers were a very strong team, but at the end of the day, we got more notes into the back of the net than they did. We’re now looking forward to our next fixture, when we expect to field a larger team and play an absolute blinder.”
Next European fixture : All Saints Violas v Mahler
Tewkesbury Abbey 9th June 2007.
Kick-off 7.30pm
© Carole Wrightson CSO Sports Reporter
19th March 2007
Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham
16th December 2006
Jolly Romp with a pot pourri of melodies
Fun and sparkle shone through the festive programme provided by Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Curtis, and guests.
A jolly romp through Philip Lane’s Overture on French Carols with its pot pourri of melodies was followed by the sweet, clear tones of Berkhampstead School Choir. Notable offerings were Graham Kendrick’s catchy calypso carol This Child and John Joubert’s Torches in two part harmony with clear diction, good synchronisation and with orchestral accompaniment.
Fenella Humphreys gave a virtuosic and uplifting performance of Max Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy for violin and orchestra ranging from its funereal introduction to the break-neck speed and double-stopping of the final movement.
David Fishpool vividly portrayed a young boy’s exciting encounter with Father Christmas in Clement Clarke Moore’s famous poem The Night before Christmas.
Philip Lane’s orchestral setting and narration was premiered at Liverpool one hour before being played at Cheltenham.
Tranquil and yet contrasting, the Variations and Pastoral on an Old Carol, expertly played by Royal Harpist Jemima Phillips, enchanted the audience before the concluding rousing rendition of Paul Patterson’s Three Little Pigs.
The composer, narrators and orchestra took a bow as the evening ended with a flourish.
Roger Jones (Gloucestershire Echo)
Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham
14th May 2006
Tchaikovsky deserved a bigger crowd
Is Tchaikovsky falling out of favour with the general public? The poor attendance at this concert, which featured the monumental Fourth Symphony, suggested this may be the case.
But perhaps the local concert-goers needed something more relaxing than the highly-charged first movement with its scurrying strings and the al-pervading fate motif which generates a mood of despair. Fortunately there is more to the Fourth than that. The two subsequent movements quickly dispelled the sense of gloom. The song-like andante radiated serenity and charm, while in the scherzo pizzicato the strings greatly impressed with the delicacy of their playing. The orchestra then gave a full-blooded account of the finale, making it sound truly festive.
Despite their fondness for large-scale Romantic symphonies, David Curtis and his players are not hesitant to champion contemporary music, such as Strange Seas by Julian Philips. The work, built out of a number of musical motifs, depicts an imaginary journey through terrain which is difficult and treacherous. The CSO rose to its musical challenges and arrived at its final destination with calm reassurance.
This was a good concert. I trust these hard-working musicians will enjoy better support for whatever musical journeys they embark on in the future.
Roger Jones (Gloucestershire Echo)
All Saints' Church, Cheltenham
25th February 2006
Playing sent shivers up my spine
The German folk songs Mahler chose for Des Knaben Wunderhorn were written with children in mind.
But while some possess a charming innocence, others deal with more serious themes. In one a group of soldiers turn into tombstones. In another a drummer boy awaits death on the gallows.
Mezzo-soprano Diana Moore and baritone Alastair Chapman brought their fine musical intelligence to bear on this fascinating collection, imbuing the songs with just the right measure of humour and pathos. Their duets were nicely executed and Diana's poised singing of Primal Light, a vision of heaven after a life of pain, made for a sublime conclusion. Conductor David Curtis and the CSO must share the honours for the success of the performance. The orchestra was never obtrusive, but captured the essential atmosphere and underlying profundity of each song with playing of rare sensitivity and refinement.
Perhaps the musicians were conserving their energy for Rachmaninov's Second Symphony, for they went on to give an outstanding performance of this blockbuster work. The strings, in particular played with polish and passion and the orchestra had plenty of spring in its step in the lively Scherzo. The beautifully controlled, rhapsodic Adagio sent a shiver up my spine.
If the players sounded triumphant in the festive finale, they had every reason to be.
Roger Jones (Gloucestershire Echo)
Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham
17th December 2005
This was another hugely successful concert in which the orchestra was joined by the Junior Choir and the Year 6 Choir of Leckhampton Primary School. The Junior Choir sang two Rutter carols with piano, and the Year 6 sang his "Mary's Lullaby" and "Donkey Carol" with the Orchestra. Two young flautists also took part in Johann Strauss II's "Cuckoo Polka."
The other highlight of the concert was a performance of Paul Patterson's concert piece "Little Red Riding Hood", to accompany a text based upon Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhyme. Dahl's version of the story is typically wicked and outrageous, culminating in Little Red Riding Hood making her final appearance in a wolf skin coat. Patterson's music matched the moods of the text, and was a showpiece for the large orchestra. The narrators were David Fishpool, well known in the area for his varied musical talents, playing the Storyteller and the Wolf, and Kate Bennett, as Grandma and later Little Red Riding Hood. Kate is well known in the county and beyond for her leading roles in opera and light opera, but this was her first foray into narration. She played her parts to the hilt, first as a very tipsy Grandma, then as a skittish Little Red Riding Hood who sallied forth into the audience, much to the delight of the many children present.
Pershore Abbey
29th October 2005
This was the Orchestra's third concert in the Abbey in aid of the Farmers' Overseas Action Group (FOAG) and it again drew an audience of about 220, helping to raise well over £1000 for the charity's work in Uganda.
The audience greatly enjoyed a varied programme of music - Mozart's "Magic Flute" Overture, Copland's "Appalachian Spring" and Brahms' Third Symphony.
Tewkesbury Abbey
15th October 2005
Roger Jones of the Gloucestershire Echo wrote:
"The CSO are a fine ensemble of musicians whose talents, it seems, are not just confined to performing. This concert included the first performance of the Concerto for Cello and Orchestra by Andrew Chapman, one of their leading lights.
Cellist Emma Denton rose magnificently to the challenges of the dramatic and varied solo part. The frenzied opening section created a sense of occasion, but later the excitement was replaced by a tranquil sighing interlude for strings. After a searching theme on the trumpet the bustle returned leading to a striking cadenza.
The reflective slow movement with its shimmering string and harp accompaniment and a quicksilver scherzo exerted a particular charm. In his ambitious third movement Chapman introduced jazz elements inspired by Thelonius Monk, but the combination of jazz with the classical idiom did not always jell. This was music of and for our age, and well deserving of further performances.
Tewkesbury Abbey's acoustics are not ideal for Mahler's sprawling Resurrection Symphony, yet the Orchestra turned in a compelling performance of this astonishing work. David Curtis steered his musicians effortlessly through the complexities of the funereal first movement and brought sardonic touches to the Scherzo. The finest moment occurred in the final movement with the entry of the Regency Singers performing unaccompanied Klopstock's Resurrection Ode. From then on the music grew in strength and fervour to culminate in a majestic close...a momentous performance."
Editor: The only counter-comment to the above came from conductor David Curtis, who said that his task of "steering his musicians" was far from effortless. That it appeared effortless was, from the Orchestra's viewpoint, more a reflection of his professional skills and physical stamina!
The Orchestra for the Mahler was perhaps the largest ever to appear in Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra "colours" - some 95 players. The Chorus based upon the Regency Singers was itself eighty-strong. Thanks are due to David Todd and to Deborah Griggs (Director of the Regency Singers) for recruiting the additional chorus members required.
There was a gratifyingly large audience of about 300.
Leonard Stanley Priory
2nd July 2005
The Orchestra ended its season on a high note, accompanying 16-year-old Ashok Gupta, Gloucestershire Young Musician 2005, in his dazzling performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Of the whole concert, Jill Hutchings of "Music at the Priory" said "The Orchestra seems to go from strength to strength, and the visit is one of the highlights of our season".
Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham
7th May 2005
Of Samantha Ward's performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto, Roger Jones (Gloucestershire Echo) said "[she] pulled no punches. Starting with a dramatic flourish, she treated her audience to a succession of musical thrills, interspersed with lyrical interludes of the utmost delicacy. Her playing of the slow movement worked a charm with gentle support from the orchestra, and then she unleashed a display of pianistic fireworks which culminated in the grandest of climaxes. This was a performance and a half."
He added: "In Petrushka, David Curtis' attention to detail paid off and the crisp, precise and committed playing of the musicians conjured up vividly the imagery evoked by Stravinsky's masterpiece".
Editor: To make the day even more memorable, the Orchestra had the pleasure, in the afternoon, of playing at the wedding in the Pump Room of Mary, daughter of Jill and Andrew Chapman.
All Saints' Church, Cheltenham
12th March 2005
"A highlight of our year"..."Your programme was brilliantly balanced in texture and taste" [Ed: Debussy, Brahms and Messiaen]. "When we heard the musical interpretation [of the Messiaen "L'Ascension] we were stunned by an amazing experience". (Denise Forder, Secretary of Gloucestershire Arthritis Trust).
Denise made the very valid point (applicable also to the concert on February 12th in aid of Sue Ryder Care) that "in these times it is as important for a charity to promote communications and goodwill as it is to raise cash. The one often follows the other. In every respect, therefore, this was a major success".
St Philip and St James Church, Leckhampton, Cheltenham
12th February 2005
"In Prelude à L'après-midi d'un faune the woodwind excelled and the strings gave a warm tone. Berlioz's Nuits d'été - require subtlety of interpretation and skill of performance, both found in the singing of Melanie Armitstead. As well as communicating constantly with her audience she introduced a variety of vocal colours to heighten the emotional impact."
Anne Dunne (Gloucestershire Echo)