Some 300 people came to the Caird Hall on Saturday 21st June
to attend the performance given by the Tayside Symphony Orchestra under its
conductor, Ron Walker.
They were not disappointed; the members of the orchestra rose to the
occasion and displayed a very wonderful sense of togetherness, and eagerness
to follow in great detail what Ron Walker asked for, whether it was timing
or volume. In all, it was a most satisfactory evening, and the members have
every right to be proud of their efforts. It also displayed that a lot of
work must have gone into the preparation, as there were not many rehearsals.
I was permitted to attend the rehearsal on Tuesday 10th June (in Gilfillan
Memorial Church in Dundee); I found it fascinating, as it was very clear
that Ron was intent on what he wanted, and he was going to get it! He and
the clarinettist Sarah Williamson worked extremely hard during the
rehearsal to ensure that everyone in the orchestra played their part.
The main feature of the recital was undoubtedly the playing by Sarah, who
featured in two major works, a Clarinet Concerto by Bernhard Crusell, and a
"Fantasia" based on the music in Verdi's opera "La Traviata" (but arranged
by the Swedish musician Jonas Forssell). These two works, very different in
style, were placed either side of the interval, the Concerto coming just
before, and the Fantasia just after. In both, Sarah Williamson displayed a
simply wonderful ability to demonstrate the clarinet in all its variety.
Both works were full of interest, and it would be quite impossible to say
one was better than the other. The orchestra responded excellently to
everything. One of the features of Sarah's playing was the delightful
feeling that at any point one felt that she could, if she had wished, go
faster or higher, her control was so perfect. She was very warmly welcomed
by the audience on her arrival (she has featured in recitals with Ron and
the TSO before), and was enthusiastically appreciated at the end of both of
the works.
The introductory work was the very well-known overture to "The Thieving
Magpie" by Rossini, played with a lot of gusto by the orchestra, and the
final work was Schubert's "The Great" Symphony No.9. While this latter work
was excellently played by all members of the orchestra, it did not seem to
me to fit in very well with what had gone on before. It is a good few years
since I last listened to the work, and I had forgotten how lengthy – and
indeed repetitive - the work is. But clear in my memory (and the memories of
all the people who attended, I am sure) is the wonderful clarinet playing by
Sarah, and indeed the high quality achieved by the orchestra throughout.
H L Foxworthy