Maidstone Symphony Orchestra
Matilda Lloyd (trumpet) and Brian Wright (conductor)
Mote Hall, Maidstone
Well someone has to take over as Queen of the Trumpet now that Alison Balsom has retired from performance. Matilda Lloyd, with her sumptuous legato, immaculate tongue-ing, restrained flamboyance and stage presence definitely gets my vote. She played the famous Haydn concerto in E flat with tremendous dynamic control especially in the opening movement which included a cadenza full of clarity and rubato. She was sensitively accompanied too particularly in the middle movement which presents one of Haydn’s most charming melodies.
Lloyd has recently issued an CD, Casta Diva, featuring operatic arias arranged for trumpet which is garnering critical acclaim. In lieu of an encore she played two of these spliced together. It must have been fun for the orchestra to do because even Brian Wright admitted that composer Severio Mercadante was new to him. Of course they rose to the occasion with aplomb.
Matilda Lloyd’s spectacular appearance was preceded by a pleasing account of Dvorak’s Czech Suite parts of which often feature on Radio 3 and Classic FM. It doesn’t, however, seem to get into the concert hall much so it was nice to hear it live. The playing was elegant although Wright’s tempi were understated in places. The Sousedska movement, for example, was quite subdued. The horn solo and flute work in the Romance were a delight, though.
And so, after the interval, to the joyous glory of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in C minor. It began with all the incisiveness it needs. How extraordinary it is that, 214 years ago, this astonishing composer could create what he did out of a simple, off-beat dot-dot-dot-dash rhythm. In this performance the Beethovenian magic was highlighted by exciting dynamics and some very attractive wind interjections. Then there was excellent string work in the second movement – I was struck, incidentally, by the strength of MSO’s viola section throughout this concert – and an imaginatively built fugal passage in the third.
For me, though, the very best bit of this marvellous symphony is the use, in the final pages, of the triumphant piccolo with those chirruping upward glissandi. I have heard professional performances where it gets lost in the muddy texture. Not this time. Bravo Angela Love. Fine job.
And finally, the delighted and quite large Mote Hall audience were given a little treat for the road. Brahms’s Hungarian Dance number 5 is always fun and MOS, now thoroughly warmed up and evidently enjoying themselves, really responded to Wright’s take on the swoops and contrasts.
Thanks, once again, MSO. It was a good way of spending a damp January evening.
