The NORTHERN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
and the LANCASTER SINGERS
perform Boyce, Handel and Bach

Lancaster International Concert Series
The Great Hall, University of Lancaster, Bailrigg
Thursday 16 February 2005

Stylish and assured playing from a Northern ensemble,
and inspired singing from a local choir

From harmony, from heav'nly harmony …
It is not often these days I get to go to concerts of Classical music, and a programme of baroque music, including a Handel piece I was not familiar with, made my mind up to see what the Lancaster International Concert Series is about.

I was not disappointed. After a rather lumpen start with the dullish Symphony No 5 by William Boyce (1711 – 1779), the twenty-or-so strong orchestra found its feet with a Concerto Grosso in B flat by Georg Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759), the second of his Opus 3 of 1734. By the end of the first half the adrenaline was well and truly flowing, with a sparkling performance of the Concerto for Two Violins BWV 1043 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1695 – 1750).

What passion cannot MUSICK raise and quell?
This was beautifully and sensitively played by the Director and Leader of the Northern Chamber Orchestra (NCO), Nicholas Ward, and Julia Hanson as the two fiddle soloists. Tempo, pace and articulation were excellent, and the slow movement was a sheer spine-tingler. This was playing of a very high order indeed, and the ripieno string-playing was finely gradated with some inspired continuo-playing to underpin the wonderful string writing, although the harpsichord should have been in the middle of the platform, not hidden away behind the cellos and bass player.

Sharp violins proclaim Their jealous pangs and Desperation … For the fair, disdainful Dame.
The second half of this ninety-odd minute concert was devoted to more Handel: his Ode for St Cecilia's Day of 1739. This is not often performed, and a delight to listen to. In particular, the exotic and sensuous word-painting of John Dryden's fine poem from 1687 was gloriously delivered by soprano and tenor soloists, Phillipa Hyde and Joseph Cornell under the able direction of conductor Denis McCaldin.

The Lancaster Singers acquitted themselves well, displaying assured sensitivity to the text, clarity of intonation and diction. Various instruments have the chance to shine in this piece, and the (un-named) flautist, trumpeters and cellist deserve particular mention.

The University's Great Hall has an excellent acoustic which, despite the relatively small-scale sound from such forces, enabled every single word, phrase and note to come across clearly and warmly. The 1960s wood-and-leather chairs, though, are too small and not very comfortable. Pity the unfortunate parents at Graduations! The room was not full, alas, and the audience seemed predominantly elderly, though there was a handful of students and other youngsters there.

The dead shall live, the living die And MUSICK shall untune the sky.
This is a pity, because there are not many places of Lancaster's size outside the main cities that can boast a concert season of a range and quality as this one. Despite reports of ‘crossover' music and younger audiences for the classics, it is a shame that the audience is not more representative of the wider community.

Up and coming concerts include Kálmán Balogh and The Gypsy Cimbalom Band from Hungary on 24 Ferbuary (this Thursday), the more local Lancashire Sinfonietta playing Mozart, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn on 3 March and, to round off the season, The English Concert playing Vivaldi on 10 March.

John and I shall certainly be back to the Great Hall for more.

The quotations are from Dryden's original "Song for St Cecilia's Day'.

Copyright © 20 February 2005 Michael Nunn