Summer 2013 Concert

Sunday 16 June 2013 at 3:45 pm

St Edburg's Church, Bicester
Conductor: Jerry Lanning

Parry: Overture to an Unwritten Tragedy
Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor Op.85 (Soloist: Adi Tal - cello)
Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major Op.73

  • Some friends whose daughter plays in this orchestra took me to this concert. They considered I would be particularly interested in the ‘cello Concerto since half my career was as a peripatetic 'cello teacher.

    From the first few bars I recognized that the orchestral playing and conducting were of a very high standard and I greatly enjoyed them perform the first work which was totally new to me: ‘Overture to an Unwritten Tragedy’ by Parry. I later appreciated a performance of Brahms' 2nd Symphony, a work I’ve enjoyed for a long time.

    I must admit that the performance of the Elgar 'cello concerto I enjoyed best. I know the work very well and I was in the best seat in the church for watching the cellist Adi Tal. Sticking my neck out a bit, I think that not every good pianist necessarily makes a good accompanist and likewise not every good conductor and orchestra achieve a good ensemble and balance with a concerto soloist (or concerto soloists). Jerry Lanning did and the performances from orchestra and soloist were spellbinding.

    In the programme notes for the concert I read that Adi Tal was a winner of the Muriel Taylor 'Cello Prize and after the performance I went to tell Adi how much I’d enjoyed the performance of the Elgar and that Muriel Taylor was my 'cello teacher at the Royal Academy of Music over half a century ago - Adi was interested to hear that and said it was the first time she’d met anyone who had told her that he/she'd been taught by Muriel Taylor. The Elgar really was an inspired performance and the personal connections special too.

    I shall remember and treasure the memory of this concert. Thank you Adi Tal and Jerry Lanning and the orchestra.

    - David Baker - GRSM LRAM (piano) LGSM (singing) LTCL ('cello)

Players

Violin 1: Nancy Taylor (leader), Zoe Hudson, Emma Callery, Ellie Collins, Rachel Sansome, Kathryn Whiteway, Gordon Wood

Violin 2: Jen Truslove (leader), Alison Knowles, Alison Lynn, Janet Puddick, Hannah Gregson, Rowan Boughton

Viola: Judy Hunter, Phil Maund, Jill Elliott, Helen Timms

Cello: Miranda Ricardo, Sandy McKenzie, Sue Hipkiss, Anthony McLoughlin

Double bass: Sarah Turnock, Jane Martin

Flute: Claire Humphries, Jane Chalmers

Oboe: Joanna Rhind-Tutt, Amanda Barton

Clarinet: Linda Gregson, Meg Graham

Bass clarinet: Ian Adlington

Bassoon: Glyn Williams, Alison Seymour

Horn: Bob Powell, Claire Stephenson, Dave Settle, Dan Blakey

Trumpet: Edward Paine, Laurence May

Trombone: Pat Kenny, Marshall Edwards, Paul Coveney

Tuba: Guy Button

Timpani: Justin Rhodes