Review of Camerata Scotland in Perth Concert Hall

Apr 19 2011 Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

SATURDAY’S concert with Camerata Scotland reached sublime heights.

Under New Zealand-born conductor Tecwyn Evans their first work was a neat performance of Bach’s Orchestral Suite No3.

Using the faster speeds recent scholarship suggests its Ouverture had pomp but not inflated pomposity, its fine high trumpets played to give colour, but not overpower.

Camerata Scotland really got into its stride for the Gavottes which were lively, again with fine trumpets. Gavotte II, working as the Trio expressed true joy.

The Bourée was enjoyably paced and ran into the final exciting Gigue, where the trumpets impressed anew, as did the cellos and basses moving the piece forward with clear articulation.

David Hubbard, principal bassoon with the RSNO, was soloist in a new work: Rory Boyle’s That Blessed Wood, in effect a bassoon concerto of some 23 minutes.

In five continuous sections it opened in the mood of a fractured serenade, the viola giving an introduction with, this time, a downward glissando, followed by winds with the same effect.

The soloist entered startlingly and intriguingly with sounds like a bass machine gun.

In the agile Allegro the soloist moved to the more lyrical upper register against rhythmic punctuation from an increasingly motoric orchestra.

The slow central movement was introduced by the viola, this time with and upward glissando. Inventive textures using woodwind and guitar and high string writing with bass drum occur, the latter distinctive also in the rondo.

After a plaintive section with guitar the soloist moved into a cadenza-like part and the calming down to the coda, with its references to earlier music.

The piece was always distinctive and with such a fine soloist as David Hubbard should be heard by a much wider audience.

The second half just got better and better. Gluck’s Overture to Iphigénie en Aulide had superb austerity. The march section, low on the strings, was full and weighty. Tecwyn Evans set a good pace for the Allegro and his horns showed both impressive clout and the ability to fine this down.

Saving best for last they gave a performance which brought out all the colour, rhythmic excitement and fun of Stravinsky’s Pulchinella Suite. Some may play it faster, but none with greater incisive detail or more enjoyably.

The oboe, John Roberts, was superb in his many solos, equally so was the Leader, Michael Foyle, in his astounding playing.

There were too many felicitous details to write in full. The élan of the entire orchestra gave a performance of tremendous life and colour, delighting the audience.

Ian Stuart-Hunter