National Orchestra was Festival highlight
The large hall as absolutely full for this prestigious event, attracting an audience from throughout the whole area.
As the concert is to be broadcast later (Radio Wales, November 9) it was introduced by Beverley Humphries, herself a well-known singer. In her commentary she mentioned the significance of the occasion, one of the leading orchestras of Britain performing in the home town of the conductor. Before each item she gave a comprehensive synopsis of the work.
The concert commenced with Rossini's William Tell Overture, probably his best known work with the final section buried in everyone's subconscious mind, having been used as the theme for the Lone Ranger and many animated cartoons.
Opening quietly on the cellos, it soon allowed the full orchestra to produce the gorgeous sound a full symphony orchestra produces when going full blast. One immediately realised that we were going to be treated to an evening of stupendous music. What a shame that the acoustics of the hall are so dead and with no reverberation every chord dies prematurely and exposes the odd little blemish.
The Schumann Cello Concerto followed this. This romantic work was lovingly played by Li-Wei Qin. He is a remarkably gifted cellist and has been invited on to the BBC New Generation Artists' Scheme. He was congratulated and thanked immediately at the end of the concerto by Grant Llewellyn, who stood aside to lead the applause for the soloist.
The conductor then got the various sections of the orchestra to stand to receive their appraisal before bringing the whole orchestra to their feet. This well deserved direction of applause was repeated after every work.
Beverley Humphries closed the first half with the announcement that she was to interview Grant Llewellyn. She told us, causing much amusement, that in the best Blue Peter tradition, the interview was one she had prepared earlier.
The second half commenced with Borodin's In the Steppes of Central Asia, a vivid evocation of the region. When the work came to its quiet ending the audience was held spellbound for several seconds before breaking into applause.
The final piece, Tchaikovsky's Second Symphony, is aptly known as The Little Russian as it contains several folk songs from the Ukraine, an area sometimes known as Little Russia.
Once again the orchestra gave all they'd got, and more, as they were whipped up into an orchestra frenzy by the conductor. Making them work so hard did not in any way seem to detract from the obvious enjoyment the players and the conductor had had throughout the evening. The tumultuous applause which followed led to many sore hands in the audience.
It is a personal tribute to Grant Llewellyn that this was such a successful evening. One of the prime movers of the Tenby Arts Festival and, dare I say it, the lynch pin on which future programmes should hang, Tenby's location and his talents should ensure that the Festival goes from strength to strength. Big names bring in big audiences.
If only, out there somewhere, there is a culturally minded 'Shanley' or organisation that could fund a proper venue for the wealth of talent which is available to Tenby. Perhaps the Arts Council would let one 'Grant' lead to another! West Wales desperately needs a concert hall and where better to put one than in or near Tenby?
A. R. M.
Choral splendour in St. Mary's
The final concert of Tenby Arts Festival was given in the fine church of St Mary's, Tenby. It was a great privilege to have with us the world famous Bach Choir, founded 1876 and conducted by the Victorian musician CV Stanford.
The present conductor David Hill is an outstanding choral conductor. Until last July he was organist and Choir master at Winchester Cathedral and in October 2003 he takes up the position of Director of Music at Kings College, Cambridge.
He has many recordings to his name and the writer can testify to the many outstanding concerts with David, both choral and orchestral, he had heard.
The concert opened with two coronation anthems by Handel first performed at the Coronation of George II at which the Archbishop stated the anthems were full of confusion and irregularity of music.
But not so this night after a quiet introduction on the organ reached to a crescendo before the choir burst forth with the acclamation of the sovereign 'God save the king, may the King live for ever.
The second anthem, Let thy hand be strengthen, was in a more restrained manner but both anthems were sung by the choir with clarity and precision.
Jane Watts, well known to us in Pembrokeshire, gave a splendid rendering on the organ of Richard Popplewell' Triumphal March which was somewhat reminiscent of Elgar in style.
Hubert Parry's anthem 'I was Glad' written for Edward VII's coronation is a great choral piece and was bought out in its full glory by the Bach Choir.
C. P. Alcock was, for many years, organist at Salisbury Cathedral and for three coronations. The choir sang his Sanctus with great feeling. His music is unknown to many but he was highly regarded in his time.
Blest Pair of Sirens by Parry, a Gloucestershire man, must be his masterpiece and was dedicated to the Bach Choir who gave its first performance. Set to Milton words, the choir brought out the tonal effects to the full. This composition established Parry as a major composer.
The second half of the programme was a requiem by Durufle He was a self critical musician, with a modest output. The composition, full of restrained clarity and great tenderness, was beautifully sang by the Bach choir and was a fitting conclusion to a very fine concert.
But not quite yet. An encore came, Orlando Sutton's Drop Drop Slow Tears brought a very memorable concert to an end. The Tenby Festival committee must be congratulated on what must be the best festival programme as yet.
D.R.P
Celtaidd at the Church
Every succeeding Youth Musician of the Year Competition introduces younger and more accomplished performers and this trend was so amply evident in the five attractive and charming young ladies who gave the concert at St Mary's Church on Monday night which exceeded everyone's expectations.
Members of Celtaidd, a wind ensemble of outstanding young Welsh professional musicians, performed a variety of works, some familiar and others outside the usual repertoire, in arrangements that suited their individual and concerted musicianship.
Consisting of Nicola Rowlands - flute, Gwenllian Davies - oboe, Charlotte Leeke - French horn, Katherine Willson - bassoon and an outstanding clarinettist, Katherine Lacy, the quintet commenced the evening with an arrangement of the Overture to The Magic Flute by Mozart.
At first one missed the original rich orchestral colours, but the individual instruments seemed to clarify the structure of the work. This was a trend I found throughout the programme. The acoustics of St Mary's Church suited the sounds of the ensemble so very well.
Next was Bizet's Jeux d'enfants (arr.Davies) more familiar in its original piano version, but very enjoyable in this arrangement.
The third work, the only piece written especially for wind quintet, was by August Klughard, a contemporary of Wagner, whose influence could be detected throughout.
Next came a fascinating piece, Alleluya Nativitas, thought to have been composed by Perotin. Written about 1200 AD, Oliver Knussen, one of Britain's foremost contemporary composers, had used this to create a work which, whilst retaining its medieval melodic themes, was so clearly music of the 20th Century. A beautiful diminuendo by the clarinet brought this to a gentle close.
In complete contrast, and in addition to the published programme were two movements from the Dance Suite by Norman Hallan. The Charleston which ended this was played with tremendous enthusiasm which brought smiles to the faces of the entire attentive and compact audience.
Ference Farkas' Antique Hungarian Dances followed the Interval. This collection of early dances is a charming work for a wind quintet.
The Fantasia on Welsh Folksongs by the young composer Matthew Brown was yet another addition to the programme. This was a beautifully played medley of familiar and to me, at least, unfamiliar folksongs.
The final work was an arrangement by Linkelmann of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Originally a piano piece inspired by an exhibition of watercolours by the Russian artist Victor Hartmann, it is probably best known in the version that Ravel made using the full range of orchestral timbres available to a 20th century composer. Strangely, the reduction in range of instruments and length of the work did not seem to diminish this piece and it brought to an end a most enjoyable concert.
I spoke to the performers after the concert and was told how much they had enjoyed coming to Tenby to perform in our Arts Festival. The Committee must be congratulated for obtaining the services of such talented young ensemble. The opportunity to hear works outside the usual repertoire is something to be valued and I hope that this trend will be followed in future festivals.
ARM
Time was in Aberafan
Wybert Bendall's reading of his own work at the Pam Pam, on Wednesday, September 25, gave us the authentic voice of Aberfan where he was born and brought up.
He brought vividly to life characters from his childhood. Coupled with his skill as a writer and performer, the place and people, lovingly remembered, provided outstanding entertainment ranging from the sad and wistful to the completely hilarious.
Afterwards Wybert told an appreciative audience: "I simply enjoy what I do," and so did everyone lucky enough to be there.
'The highlight of my week'
A mixed audience of about 200 thoroughly enjoyed the concert given by The Tenby Male Voice Choir on Thursday, as part of the Tenby Arts Festival. It was comprised of local people, holidaymakers and even some international visitors from as field afield as Switzerland and America.
The choir opened the concert with four popular pieces, which included the well-known "Rhythm of Life."
Two sixth form Greenhill pupils performed the first half solo spots. Robert Hodge played a Chopin Nocturne and "Am Arbend" by Hoffman, on the piano.
Robert then accompanied Laura Court, playing the flute, who gave a beautiful rendering of James Hook's Sonata in C. (1st movement).
The Choir continued with two Welsh pieces and a Male Voice favourite "Amen."
Tom Pearce, one of the choir tenors, ably sang "Panis Angelicus," and bass Eric Mullins held the audience enthralled when he gave a dramatic performance of, "If I were a rich man" from "Fiddler on the Roof." Robert and Laura, two very talented musicians, played "Sonta in G" by Dussek, "Sicilienne" by Faure and "Melodie d'Amour," a traditional French song.
The choir closed the concert with another selection of English and Welsh pieces, ending with "Morte Christe."
Gill Williams ably accompanied the choristers and as always Christine Shewry conducted them with her usual enthusiasm and aplomb.
Mr. Bob Murphy from Seattle, who had attended a number of the Arts Festival events, said "It was the highlight of my week."