Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, Barry Wordsworth (conductor), Steven Worbey & Kevin Farrell (piano)

The BPO’s final concert of the season was a generous and convivial affair, opening with a Malcolm Arnold brass fanfare before delving into a more nuanced, emotional work with Sibelius’ Karelia Suite, which featured some beautiful melancholic clarinet playing in the second movement.

Malcolm Arnold’s Piano Concerto was initially written for two pianos, but the jovial Worbey & Farrell have arranged it for four hands on one piano: resulting in a jaunty and occasionally strange piece, perfect for the jaunty double act themselves. Delibes’ Coppelia Suite is a piece close to Barry Wordsworth’s heart – it was an early conducting charter for him – and the tumultuous tone and pace certainly reflected the vigour of youth.

Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals was both a musical and farcical treat, with a wandering clarinet, humorous introductions from the returning Worbey & Farrell, and some lyrical piano playing amidst the bonhomie to remind one of the pair’s musical ability.

A jubilant encore featuring a rousing rendition of ‘Tequila’ and a bum piano note of a non-fluffed kind ended the BPO season on a high note.

Brighton Dome Concert Hall, 25 March 2018

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