Manchester Camerata gives exhilarating performance (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Manchester Camerata gives exhilarating performance

6:10pm Thursday 10th November 2011 in Gig and concert reviews By Brian Paynes

Manchester Camerata

Lakeland Sinfonia Concert Society, Kendal

Those inside the Westmorland Hall attending the concert on November 5 might well have imagined they would escape the fireworks and excitement of Bonfire Night. Not so - the musical fare on offer was far more exhilarating than anything inspired by Guy Fawkes.

Here, led by Giovanni Guzzo, one of the leading violinists of his generation, was one the UK’s foremost chamber orchestras, presenting a programme full of interest and curiosity; a Symphony (No10) and a relatively obscure Violin Concerto (D minor) by the youthful Mendelssohn, an unfamiliar Sibelius Suite (Rakavstava) and a Mahlerian arrangement of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden String Quartet.

Throughout the entire evening the Camerata was galvanised by the sheer musical/physical vitality and intensity of its leader; whatever the character, mood or tempo might be, he was there, as vanguard. He instilled dynamism, refinement of phrase, tonal beauty, poetry, poise, total command of dynamic contrast; smallest details were important and perfect textural balance ensured the audibility of each part.

The Violin Concerto (not, perhaps, the E minor’s equal) witnessed Guzzo and his colleagues, with awe-inspiring virtuosity, imbue the work with passion, high spirits and, above all, elegance. His encore - unaccompanied Bach - was ravishing.