Another joyful night was spent serenaded by Tonbridge Philharmonic Society, and what a highly talented group they are! Last Saturday’s Summer Prom Concert definitely had a last night of the Proms vibe, complete with audience participation and Name that Tune comical medley, and a fantastic master of ceremonies to introduce us to each new rendition.
The evening began with the orchestra’s wonderful rendering of Vaughan Williams’s The Wasps which I adored. The strings opened with a discordant buzzing so reminiscent of a swarm of angry wasps, adding an ever-present sense of jeopardy to the piece. The music then develops into a romantic lyrical tune evoking imagined scenes of a pastoral idyll.
The second offering was Nocturne by Morten Lauridsen. The choir had a challenge in a score that would tax even the most accomplished of singers, with its long sustained notes and three different languages – French, Spanish and English. The poems upon which the music was based were beautiful, and I am glad of the chance to be introduced to them. Excellent keyboard accompaniment was provided by Patrick Glencross.
The highlight of the evening for me was the sublime Façade Suite No 2 by William Walton. As the brilliant programme notes and even more expert master of ceremonies Peter Mace told us, this was originally accompanied by Edith Sitwell reciting her poetry through a megaphone! An experience I was sad to see was not replicated to the full. The score had a lovely comical jazzy quality, slightly avant-garde but oh so enjoyable. Again, the wonderful orchestra demonstrated their virtuoso skills with aplomb. As the music moved on through the movements, I kept telling myself ”Oh this is my favorite” only to find the next movement just as pleasing. The second movement I found rather mischievous in feel with its plucked strings, while the third movement incorporated castanets giving the score a rather Mexican feel. Praise must go to the wind, brass and percussion sections of the orchestra for their contribution. I honestly did not want it to end. Thank you for bringing this lovely piece of music to my attention. The next time TPS perform it can they please add the Edith Sitwell poems, I am happy to volunteer to read the poems and provide the megaphone!
After the interval we were entertained by the ever-popular 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, first performed in 1882 in Moscow to commemorate the battle of Borodino. To simulate the cannon fire required in this piece the choir and audience had been issued with paper bags to blow up and explode when required. Unfortunately, much like the battle commanders of the time, our valiant conductor had difficulty controlling her new conscripts – they got a little carried away with excitement – so we had a plethora of misfiring cannons, leaving the overall effect of the piece joyous, but sadly not quite as the composer had planned!
The next treat for the miscreant audience was Jupiter from Gustav Holst’s Planet Suite, a joyful and familiar friend to our ears. Here both choir and orchestra joined forces to perfection with this wonderfully luxurious rendition.
The last night of the Proms theme continued with the light-hearted, witty Name that Tune by composer Grayson Ives, a musical medley which rendered the choristers as instruments in this fun, tongue in cheek composition. Sadly, my old grey cells now move so slowly that by the time I had named one tune our vocal orchestra had already moved on to another rendering. In the end I had to sit back and just enjoy the music rather than attempt to stir my cranky old mind into naming all the tunes.
The next gem to assail us was the Fantasia on British Sea Songs composed by the wonderful Henry Wood himself. A fabulous partnership between choir and orchestra. Here special mention must go to the trumpeters and flautists for their expert contributions and to the choir for their hearty full-throated renditions.
The grand finale for the night of musical magic was Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, allowing the choir to demonstrate their vocal strength and gladdening all our hearts. This was a jubilant ending to another superb evening of music and song. I would like to thank Tonbridge Philharmonic, both Orchestra and Choir, for all their hard work this year and of course I must mention the dedication and incredible talent of our wonderful conductor Naomi Butcher. Thank you for a fabulous season of music and song. Bravo!