Kaleidoscope Saxophone Quartet

Kaleidoscope chose their music carefully, starting with reassuringly familiar tunes from Grieg’s melodic Holberg Suite. The church’s amplifying acoustic made it difficult to balance the robust sounds of the saxophones and the soprano was in frequent danger of sounding shrill in the top register. This quartet’s sense of ensemble and musicianship kept their resonance under control, although occasionally a light fitting behind me buzzed in sympathetic vibration. The works written specifically for these instruments by Barbara Thompson and Michael Torke worked best, especially in their quieter moments. The gently keening encore, an arrangement of Piazzolla’s sensuous ‘Oblivion’, was truly beautiful.

St Nicholas’ Church, Hove, 25 May 2017

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