Review: Elgar Cello Concerto / Rachmaninov’s 2nd Symphony

I approached this orchestral concert with two thoughts on my mind; how would guest conductor Michael Waldron step into the immense shoes of Matthew Willis and how would an amateur orchestra, however good, pull off the Rachmaninov 2nd Symphony? The first question was...

War Requiem

One of the strongest musical memories from my teenage years is listening to the first two performances of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem on the radio, and then hearing it live at the Proms.  Even then, I was very aware that this was a special experience and that a...

Viva la Diva

The last concert in the Tonbridge Philharmonic Society’s current season was given in St Stephen’s Church, Tonbridge; this is a venue which is ideal in layout and acoustics for a concert such Viva la Diva. The programme presented a selection of well-known operatic...

Bernstein: Chichester Psalms

Copland: In the Beginning, Bernstein: Chichester Psalms, Verdi:  Four Sacred Pieces The programme chosen by Tonbridge Philharmonic Society’s conductor Matthew Willis on Saturday was a challenging one.  Bringing together two works by American-Jewish composers was a...

Shostakovich Symphony No. 7

Copland: Fanfare for the common man Barber: Adagio Shostakovich: Symphony No 7 I do not recall ever attending a concert given by amateur performers that received a spontaneous standing ovation at the end.  That this concert, given by the Tonbridge Philharmonic...

Elgar: Dream of Gerontius

One of the great strengths of the Tonbridge Philharmonic Society is the relationship between the choral and orchestral divisions.  Few such societies enjoy the privilege of having two equally-matched teams of amateur musicians which both perform so ably.  It was this...