Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra Soloists – Summer Season

Two adult Mozart chamber works (the ‘Dissonance’ Quartet and Flute Quartet in D major K.285) were the satisfying body of this programme. It also contained the first performance of local musician Adam Swayne’s ‘Reaches’ for String Quartet. The composer gave a helpful introduction which enabled me to listen for details I’d otherwise have missed. This revived student work describes in nine short movements a day on the sea. Forget Debussy, Britten or Nielsen’s ‘Helios’ Overture, and think of atmospheric film music. I’d like to hear it again, and what’s more, I’d even recognise it if I heard it on the radio!

Coda: A busker’s over-amplified guitar on New Road seriously compromised the performances, but such intrusion is not unusual at this venue.

Brighton Unitarian Church, 24 August 2014

Rating: