Concert of two halves

This year, the Westmorland Orchestra celebrates its 70th concert season, and so it was disappointing to find that, after much advance publicity, the Kendal Leisure Centre was only a little over half full for the orchestra’s adventurous programme. The Westmorland has a made a significant contribution to the cultural life of South Lakeland over the years and deserves much better support. Perhaps concertgoers were put off by the name of Shostakovich whose tenth symphony formed the backbone of the programme.

This was a concert of two halves in more senses than one. Dvorak’s evocation of the Bohemian countryside – his overture ‘In Nature’s Realm’ – which opened the concert was marred by some dubious intonation and insecure entries. In Mozart’s Oboe Concerto which followed, Rachel Clegg was a fine soloist. Her vast professional experience as soloist and orchestral player shone through in her lovely tone and immaculate phrasing. Unfortunately, in spite of reduced forces in the string department, the orchestra’s accompaniment sounded heavy at times and lacked the soloist’s subtlety of phrasing.

But a transformation seemed to take place in the second half of the concert: the performance of the Shostakovich symphony, written under the shadow of the Stalinist regime, was electrifying. There was no sign of the earlier insecurities and the orchestra worked like a huge machine to release the terrifying violence embedded in this masterpiece. The strings produced a vibrant, strong tone and, as usual, the Westmorland’s excellent woodwind section played with distinction, aided by the full weight of the brass and a confident percussion section.

Conductor, players and committee deserve our thanks for having the courage (and the ability) to give us the chance to hear this mighty work by one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century.

Clive Walkley