Deco Ensemble, Kendal Town Hall

IN THE Kendal Midday Concert Club’s 2016-17 programme Mary Powney, the club’s chairman, predicted that its members would be put into a festive mood by the warming South American rhythms conjured up by the Deco Ensemble when it visited Kendal in December. She predicted accurately. The combined effect of the murals depicting roofs of the Auld Grey Town, theatrical lighting, the auditorium in darkness and a willing suspense of disbelief, resulted in a feeling that we were transported from a Kendalian December into one of Buenos Aires' hidden, romantic corners, with a glass of Fermet Branca at hand and the beguiling sounds of the Tango ringing in our ears.

The Deco’s programme explored the degree to which the tango (with its roots lying in African slavery) has developed into its present-day format. This multinational quintet of instrumentalists - pianist, violinist, double bassist, accordion player and guitarist - took us on an intriguing musical journey of discovery that was characterised throughout by impeccable musicianship, the surest sense of stylistic accuracy, superb technical accomplishment and an ability to infect each member of the audience with the enthusiasm so clearly displayed on stage.

From the tangos of the five different composers represented - all of whom, apart from Astor Piazzolla, were probably unknown to most - we were presented with an eclectic range of moods, harmonies, textures, instrumentation and, tying all together, the distinctive rhythms of the dance. From time to time it was fascinating see the pianist, the bassist and the accordion player, adding essential percussive details to the texture. Equally intriguing was the task of attempting to understand how the accordion 'worked,' how the different effects were achieved. The lighting, too, was subtly conceived; there were regular changes designed to suite the differing moods inherent in each tango - reds followed blues, followed whites…

Sadly, the bubble had to burst; we had to return to normality. But what a lovely hour we had experienced!

BRIAN PAYNES