…was the verdict of our reviewer on last Saturday’s concert in Settle. This is what they said, in full:

“It may sound rather trite, but this wonderful concert really was full of the joys of Spring!  Settle Orchestra quite simply seem to get better and better, continually rising to new challenges and surpassing expectations with each season. A key part in this is clearly their ongoing association with outstanding conductors and their links with soloists and young musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music as it obviously encourages all members of the orchestra and particularly inspires the younger members.  The programme’s stunning soloist, Oliver Bailey is a clear case in point with his breathtaking performance in Mendelssohn’s Violin concerto being regarded as outstanding by all.  At around 30 minutes in length this was a piece which demanded total concentration and considerable talent to deliver such exquisite playing.  Selected by the Orchestra themselves and performed as a tribute to the late Ken Martin, for many years a member of the Orchestra’s string section, this was an extremely moving piece and one he would very much have enjoyed. The first movement is particularly Spring like in its vibrancy before the heart-rending opening to the second movement which seems to flow seamlessly from the first. The final section is an exuberant episode which seemed to dance along with great joyousness.  Particular mention should be made of the contributions from flutes, clarinets and oboes throughout the piece.  Although the Violin concerto was the centrepiece of the evening, it was not the first piece on the programme. The evening began with a brief, little known work by H.Andriessen, “Chantecler.” Inspired by the familiar story of the vain cockerel who believed that it was his singing which brought day into being this diverting piece was particularly entertaining and it was fascinating to hear how different moods could be created by simple techniques as well as playing at trying to recognise the various creatures in the story.  The final piece in this striking programme was far more familiar: Dvorak’s Symphony No 8 contains many well known themes and passages but the real pleasure lay in hearing how they come together to create the whole.   There are a number of elements to the piece and it covers a gamut of emotions, being very dramatic at times while at others it resembles children’s songs or folk tunes. Critics over the years have suggested that this is because it reflects the composer’s melancholy remembrance of his own dead children and interweaves his sorrow at their loss with his joyful memories of their lives and actions. It is clearly a very complex piece and very unusual in many respects with huge variations in tone and so is quite enigmatic in places. However, in the midst of all this inconstancy the one constant was the very high standard of the performance by all elements of the orchestra. The piece demanded some striking solos from cellos and trumpets but the real power lay in the way in which the various sections supported one another so that the finale became a joyous explosion of sound.  A stunning end to an amazing evening.”