THE STRAVINSKY CONNECTION: BRIGHTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

It would seem appropriate, before anything, to say just how lucky we are here in Brighton & Hove to have such an amazing orchestra right on our doorstep. How lucky to have the brilliant Joanna MacGregor as their driving force, and such a vibrant programme of affordable concerts performed in a brilliant venue at very accessible times. It’s always cheering to see the wide demographic of the audience too, from oldies like myself to young parents, some with tiny children. How brilliant it is to see future generations being introduced to quality music and musicians.

This Sunday’s programme of Stravinsky and Mozart clearly shows how clever the programming is. Stravinsky’s Symphonies of Wind Instruments is a delight, the themes unraveling and traveling around the ensemble with an ease that defies the complexities, captivating and fascinating as modern shapes hover above more classical motifs.

The same fascination continues with his Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments. Piano soloist Milda Daunoraite’s playing danced over the winds with effortless grace, sometimes thundering along but at times gently pastoral. Left hand motifs so often classical in form overplayed by a top hand that was clearly jazz. It was easy to recognise the depth of inspiration that might have fallen into the lap, and hands, of Gershwin when creating An American In Paris. So much magic, a delightful interplay at one moment of flute and piano that was like the chirruping of birds.

Daunoraite received a well deserved ovation and responded with an encore of Scarlatti. Word in the bar was that she only decided to deliver that having assessed how good the piano was. It was clearly up to scratch and she gave it her all.

After the interval a smaller ensemble gave us Mozart’s Serenade in B-flat ‘Gran Partita’ K361 written when he was 26. It’s a delicious and courtly group of compositions, underpinned by a sense of formality over which the young composer was clearly playing and having fun. Stately lines ornamented with wit and with verve.  And clearly the players were having fun in its delivery. Familiar moments and others less so but in a performance that demanded revisiting the whole.

My one question would be the choice of placing Stravinsky first and Mozart to follow. Maybe I am being too literal in wanting them played chronologically, but I heard others asking the same question. But at the end of the day that did not detract from a very fine concert.

Andrew Kay

11 October

Brighton Dome Concert Hall

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