review of concert on 03/03/03
Taken from The Cambridge Student, 06/03/2003
Isis
I must confess that before the concert the prospect of two wind concerti, and another session on those uncomfortable pews, did not fill me with excitement. Yet Isis as ever dispelled my misgivings, and brought this unorthodox programme to life. The coupling of two of the university's most respected soloists with the colourful Isis orchestra proved to be a winning combination.
Nielsen's Flute Concerto was given a richly expressive performance by Becky Thomas, and as a newcomer to this music I was startled by its thematic variety. The exchanges between soloist and orchestra were brilliantly handled, creating a sense of real drama as the soaring solo line was cut short by the interjection of the bass trombone. Aided by the acoustics of ancient St Edwards, the Isis string section produced an extremely lush and full-bodied sound, and the lyrical passages of the score were handled with grace and distinction. The concerto ends in a mood of calm lyricism, and Thomas and conductor Jonny Sells deserve special credit for thier focus and concentration in guiding a stormy and dramatic work through to its serene conclusion.
It was Nyman's Where the Bee Dances for soprano saxophone however that stole the show. In a predictably sensational performance by Simon Cosgrove, the unconventional pairing of saxophone with orchestra was made to seem completely natural. Nyman also wrote this piece to celebrate the talents of a friend, John Harle of the Michael Nyman Band, and the score is devised essentially around four chords. As the man who coined the term 'minimalism', and has shown its musical strengths in many of his film scores, Nyman once again in this work takes the simplest material and weaves an absorbing musical argument. The result was entrancing as the central refrain was passed back and forth between soloist and orchestra at varying tempi, creating the cyclic effect to which the title alludes. Isis strings again excelled themselves, their shimmering and delicate playing acting as the backdrop for Cosgrove's soulful lead. With conductor Steven Rajam firmly in control of the shifting tempi, this was music-making that was confident, exhilarating and beyond reproach.
Tom Stammers