Lakeland Sinfonia 28th September 2024

What a fine concert the Lakeland Sinfonia gave us on Saturday, 28 September! The programme order was unusual in some ways: instead of the full orchestra appearing on stage for the opening item, only the woodwind section walked on to give us a splendid account of Gounod’s Petite Symphonie for Winds. The performance of this charming work quickly revealed the strengths of the orchestra’s woodwind section; all nine players captured the mood of the work perfectly and there were many highlights, one being the delightful flute solo in the second movement.

          The full orchestra assembled for a performance of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 in G (K.216) with the young violinist Cristian de Sá as soloist. He gave us a masterly account. His beautiful tone carried right to the back of the hall effortlessly – or so it seemed – and his execution of the technical challenges posed by Mozart’s demanding rapid passage work were carried off similarly. The orchestra, under Melvin Tay’s clear guidance, gave just the right degree of support. This was certainly a memorable performance: one hopes that we shall have another chance to hear this brilliant young violinist in Kendal in years to come.

          A suite of dance movements from Handel’s Water Music came next. In this, the two horns and trumpets shone as they negotiated Handel’s very prominent fanfares and the performance captured the character of each of the dance movements perfectly.

          Haydn’s great ‘London Symphony’, No. 104, closed the concert. This symphony, and others written for London audiences in the 1790s, allowed Haydn to write for a bigger orchestra than the court orchestra in Eisenstadt during his many years of employment by the aristocratic Esterházy family. Surely, Haydn would have been impressed by the performance we heard. The drama of the opening Adagio  – its first two bars marked to be played ff –  gave way to the buoyant Allegro section. Again, conductor, Melvin Tay, gave clear direction. The gentle slow movement revealed some lovely phrasing and, again, the excellence of the woodwind department. The Menuetto was stylishly played and Haydn’s marking Spiritoso in the  last movement was fully realised.

          This was a welcome return to live orchestral concerts in Kendal after the long summer break and the orchestra’s performance on Saturday bodes well for the season ahead.

Clive Walkley