MUSIC REVIEW: Chetham's School Concerts - The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

We might not yet be back to full steam, but after 16 months of online concerts and listening to CDs, I was ready to take my seat at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall last Friday, for four short - but live - concerts given by the students of one of the foremost music training schools in the world, Chetham's, right here on our doorstep... how fortunate we are!

The day was rather truncated; possibly due to the fact that everything had to be disinfected and made covid-safe between each concert, and unfortunately due to the current regulations, it meant that what is normally a very friendly and welcoming concert hall, had become a rather sterile venue where we were corralled as if prisoners, not even allowing us to loiter, but had to exit the building as quickly as possible after each concert, with no seating available other than in the auditorium itself, and no refreshments. 

This however is of no concern of Chetham's and it was their students I had come to listen to.

1.

There were four concerts, the first starting at 11:00am. This was an hour long and was given by the Lower School. That means that the children were between the ages of 8 and 12. This concert, as indeed all four, were introduced and compered by Joint Principal of the school, Tom Redmond. This particular concert being dedicated to one of the lower school's teachers John Le Grove, who was pursuaded to remain at the school an extra year due to the Covid situation and so was retiring a year later than planned. 

The actual concert itself was performed by three different groups from the Lower School. First was the LS Orchestra, who played the 3rd movement of a symphony of which I had absolutely no knowledge. Composed by Florence Price, this was The Juba Dance from her 1st Symphony. and I needed to do a little internet research into her since the music I heard was absolutely glorious! Born in 1887 in Arkansas, USA, she is now recognised universally as the first Black Afro-American Female composer to acheive success and fame. She is a composer I need to seek out and listen to more of!

Following this came the LS Choir. They sang four songs in total, the first two being conducted by Ruth Aldred and the final two conducted by John Le Grove. 'Earth' (Russell Hepplewhite), and 'The Lighthouse Keeper' (Errollyn Wallen) came first, and then after a musical interlude (see below) we were treated to 'Ee-Oh!' (Britten), and 'These Things Shall Be' (Horace Whippet). 

The 'Musical Interlude' was a string ensemble known as 'Violetta'., and conducted by Owen Cox. They played a movement each from two of my favourite string chamber music pieces. The first was 'Basse Danse' from Warlock's Capriol Suite, and the second, Praeludium from Grieg's Holberg Suite.

We were then handed back to Tom Redmond who, with the help of one of the orchestra students, played an interactive clapping game with the audience. I was standing up and joining in willingly (COVID restrictions or none..!) It was fun and helped to establish a nice rapport between young performers and audience. I doubt that there were many, if any, in the audience who did not have a child at the school (except for me of course!), and so this simple little exercise helped me to form a stronger bond and understanding between the music, the performers and the rehearsal process. Lovely.

The LS Orchestra then returned and ended the concert with two more short pieces. The opening movement to Beethoven's fifth symphony (the inspiration of the rhythm game!) came first, followed by a percussion heavy 'Mambo' from Bernstein's West Side Story suite. 

Taking into consideration the extreme tender age of these performers and that it was also their first public performance since March 2020 (or even their first ever!) this was a wonderful event and an astounding acheivement. I take my hat off to every single one of them. Bravi, bravissimi tutti!

2.

At 2:00pm the second of the four hour-long concerts took place. This time it was the turn of The Middle School Orchestra, pupils aged between 13 - 15. 

These talented students played four works for us this afternoon. First was a new-to-me piece by French composer Edouard Lalo, and the first movement from his Symphonie Espagnol. A wonderfully Late Romantic piece of composition for orchestra and solo violin. Conducted by Riley Court-Wood, and the solo violin performed with passion and skill by one of the Middle School pupils, introduced to us only as Lily; this was a truly wonderful piece of music and would loved to have listened to the complete symphony. 

However, it was now the turn of another pupil to enchant us with her violin skills; this time it was Una, again conducted by Riley Court-Wood, the orchestra played one of my dad's all-time favourite pieces of violin music (second only to his love of Bruch's violin concertos), Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto - 3rd movement. Both Una and Lily before her showing expertise and musical prowess way beyond their tender years. 

For their third piece, a change of conductor, and, if I am honest, I think she was my favourite conductor of the whole four concerts; showing a wonderful understanding of the music and able to imbue the orchestra with her vision of the piece, controlling the soundscape as she went. Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien is a piece of music I know like the back of my hand, and so under CJ Wu's passionate and animate conducting, I was delighted to hear it in a fresh and new light.

And for their final piece in this concert, came my favourite piece of music in the whole day! Another new-to-me piece, from a composer I had only ever heard his name, never his music: Polish 20th century composer, Andrzej Panufnik. Here the orchestra, under the direction of Robin Wallington, played his Sinfonia Sacra. Wow, not only was I blown away by Panufnik's incredible composition, but also by the masterful playing of it by such a young yet talented group of students. Polyphonic brass fanfares started this most unusual of pieces which relies as much on texture and dynamics than anything I've ever heard. Soaring fortissimos with timpani and other percussion precurse the quiestest barely audible prayer-like sounds from the violins. An unexpected delight.

3.

The third concert of the day was at 4:45pm and this time it was the turn of Chetham's Chorus. Possibly the largest choir to sing live in 16 months. I counted about 60! They were socially distanced around the front stalls, the choir seats and the left circle, and despite their lack of proximity, the sound they produced was phenomenal. The choir takes students from all years of the school, but I would imagine, most are from the older end. 

Again, I was completely blown away by the sheer dexterity and beauty of the sound these young people created. They sang only four pieces, and the concert was the shortest of the four, lasting only about 40 minutes; and yet I could easily have stayed and listened to these choristes for much, much longer.

They sang 'Ecce Sacerdos Magnus' by Bruckner (conductor, Marcus Farnsworth), which was accompanied by organ and three trombones; 2 Songs from 'Vier Gesänge' (Brahms), conducted by Claire Campbell-Smith, which utilised only the female choir members, but with the addition of 2 French horns and harp. Here the harp needed just a little help with the amplification, as it tended to be drowned out somewhat when trying to compete with horns and female voices when singing forte. 

The third piece was conducted by a Chetham's student, introduced only as Stone. He showed considerable skill in his directing of the entire choir, timpani, brasss section, organ and harp in what was most certainly my second favourite piece of the whole day, Boulanger's Psalm 24. The choir finished in a much more peaceful and restarined mode, singing the prayer-like, Geistliches Lied, conducted by the Head of Vocal Studies at the school, Marcus Farnsworth. Where the Boulanger was bold and brash, this was ethereal, soothing, and otherworldly. 

4.

The final concert of the day, starting at the rather late time of 8:30pm, was Chetham's Symphony Orchestra. Again, these performers come from all age ranges of the school, although most are taken from the 16 - 18 age range, and obviously they must only take the creme-de-la-creme, since the combined sound they create is worthy of an adult professional orchestra without any doubt at all!

This concert showcased the orchestra perfectly; the chosen pieces highlighting certain sections and bringing out the very best in each. The whole concert was under the direction of Ben Gernon. 

The first piece was a fanfare-ish, hornpipe-ish, whirlwind sort of piece by contemporary composer Anna Clyne, writing this for the 2013 Last Night Of The Proms, she combines her own original melody with that of an old folk tune, Juice Of The Barley'.  

This short piece was then followed by Polish-born Serocki's Trombone Concerto. Again, as is the way, the student trombonist was introduced solely by a first name, and here it was the brilliant young maestro, Rhydian who thralled us with this highly modern, 20th century inspiration. Wow, what a real learning curve this day has been for me... hearing this and the Clyne for the first time this evening, thus adding even more new-to-me music and composers to my knowledge-bank!

For the final two pieces this evening I was back on terra firma! Respighi is an Italian composer and one I am both familiar with and like; and so finishing the evning with his two orchestral suites, The Fountains Of Rome and The Pines Of Rome was just wonderful.

I appear to have run out of positive superlatives with this review! Not only was it a truly magical experience to hear live music in a concert hall again after such a long absense, but I was truly astounded by the sheer talent and virtuosity of so many, so young. It's so easy to take music for granted these days with istannt access to it on any and every electronic device possible, that we could so easily forget the steps it takes to get it to performance standard. The whole day of four concerts was a special occasion, and I can't wait to be back again watching and listening to you all! Manchester is truly blessed to have you!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 10.7.21