Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra

Archive reviews
- 1999/2000 season -

An underlined composer's name indicates an mp3 sound clip.

November 1999 - Schubert, Bruch, Walton, Sibelius
February 2000 - Ireland, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky
April 2000 - Bax, Vaughan Williams, Ravel, Bartok

Saturday, November 13th, 1999

"Expressive Bruch wins big ovation"

Concert review by David Hammond, Huddersfield Examiner

An attractive and well balanced programme found the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra in excellent form in Saturday's Town Hall concert.

With Rupert D'Cruze at the rostrum, the players gave firm support to Leland Chen, soloist in the Bruch violin concerto, and there was plenty of orchestral colour. The distinguished soloist, former first prize winner in the Menhuin International Competition, earned his big ovation, his technical grasp matched by a delightful range of expression.

A fine singing tone in the opening Allegro emphasised the movement's emotive qualities, while the Adagio's romantic wistfulness was lovingly conveyed. Soloist and orchestra combined with strong rapport for some stirring excitement in the Allegroenergico finale.

The quality of the orchestra's strings was soon revealed in the first movement of Schubert's 8th Symphony (The Unfinished), with woodwind, too, eloquently interpreting the composer's lush melodic offerings.

Tautness and tension were admirably maintained throughout, the light and dark shades of the score dramatically contrasted. The remarkable modulations of the second movement were impressively delineated.

William Walton's inspirational writing for brass sparked some sterling work from the brass section in the film music of the Henry V Suite. Side drum and kettledrums added to the martial flavour of the Overture (The Globe Playhouse), while evocative horn calls led to the stridency in Charge And Battle.

Strings alone sweetly played the engaging melody of Touch Her Soft Lips And Part, while the hymn-like melody of the Agincourt Song was boldly and expressively stated.

The form of Sibelius's one-movement 7th Symphony is not easy to grasp, but its colour and vibrancy are certainly not in doubt and Rupert D'Cruze marshalled his large forces effectively in a convincing account. The exciting writing for strings found a ready response from the players, and the trombone soloist made a first class contribution.

Saturday, February 12th, 2000

"The orchestra excelled..."

Concert review by Patric Standford, Yorkshire Post

Still relatively young at 37, the Swedish pianist Roland Pöntinen is not well enough known as clearly he should be if his energetic and assured performance of Rachmaninov's Paganini rhapsody on Saturday was anything to go by.

Hopefully we will have many opportunities to hear of him, especially in the later 20th century repertoire of which he is fond, and as a composer of some note.

But in playing Rachmaninov's finest concertante achievement, Pöntinen proved himself a fine musician first, as well as a skilled technician.

The orchestra excelled too, for it is no mean achievement to play that accompaniment with such clarity and precision. The HPO seemed to achieve its high standards of interpretation, balance and controlled light, shade and dynamics under the strong influence of artistic director Rupert D'Cruze, a conductor who should be named among our best.

His strongly-driven Tchaikovsky 6 was an exciting experience, and Ireland's London Overture showed woodwind alert and strings responsive, where many would be dull at a concert's opening.

Saturday, April 15, 2000

"Double basses worth double"

Concert review by Chris Robins, Huddersfield Examiner

What a fine orchestra Huddersfield Philharmonic has become in the seven years since Rupert D'Cruze became artistic director, and with such imaginative programmes.

In the same seven years professional orchestras have offered Huddersfield no Bax and only one piece by Bartok - both of whom featured in the Phil's concert on Saturday. D'Cruze secures confidence and attack from his musicians.

They play on-the-pulse, a technique (not always demonstrated by professional orchestras) which helps drive the music forward and makes for enhanced articulation and responsiveness.

After the sweeping tutti colours of Bax's Tintagel the concert showed off the solo and concertante talents of the orchestra - boldly and effectively displayed. But the real heroes were the "mighty handful" of only four double basses who laid the foundations for complex rhythms and tonalities as though they were a section of at least eight.

Vaughan Williams' Tallis Fantasia is fiendishly difficult, with problems balancing quartet, concertante and ripieno groups, and chords that have to come - unaccented - from nowhere.

After a tentative start the Phil's strings met the challenge and produced sustained warm tone. Ravel's Bolero was taken at a steadier tempo than usual, allowing intriguing inner harmonies to be heard and revealing this much-maligned work to be more interesting than commentators will admit.

The technical hurdles in Bartok's Concerto For Orchestra were robustly dealt with. More barbed humour in Bartok's digs at other composers - particularly the fourth movement demolition of Shostakovich - would have made this a remarkable rather than satisfying performance.

But this is a niggle and no criticism when professional orchestras shy away from this subtle masterwork.