Jonathan Dodd shares his review of the latest Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra (IWSO) concert. Ed
Last Saturday was the penultimate concert by the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra in this season. Although I am always enthusiastic about going to one of their concerts, I have to confess that sometimes I become even more excited. This one was promising to be memorable, because there were pieces by two composers I knew, and a piano concerto I had never heard, played by the extraordinary Viv McClean.
The orchestra seemed to be even larger than usual, filling the stage to the back curtain, with the grand piano shining quietly at the side, two harpists, saxophones, and a large screen rising above them all like a backdrop. I had no idea what they were all going to be used for, but I was immediately looking forward to it all.
They’re not afraid to try new things
The thing the IWSO always do is to deliver work that is of a very high quality, often very difficult (at least I think it must be), and they’re not afraid to try new things. They fulfilled that with every piece they played on Saturday, all written by mid-century English composers.
The first piece was called ‘Beni Mora’, by Gustav Holst. I’ve always liked Holst, not just for the Planets, but for the instantly-recognisable sound and quality of his music. No matter where or when you hear it, you know it’s something by him. Or at least I do. Or maybe I haven’t heard everything he wrote yet.
Complex and exotic Arabian-inspired music
There was a time when people who were ill went south for treatment and recuperation. In 1908 Holst went to stay in Algeria with hopes of curing or alleviating his asthma and depression. While he was there he fell under its spell, and wrote this three-part work. I was enchanted by it too, listening to the complex and exotic Arabian-inspired music, with its slightly-harsh sound combinations and wandering melodies, underpinned by Holst’s lovely string arrangements.
The first two parts were based on dance tunes Holst heard on the streets, the second part particularly lovely with its ending fading gradually away to nothing. The third part was raucous and energetic, with lots of percussion, and sounded like a celebratory dance that grew wilder and wilder as it rose to a thunderous crescendo. I loved it.
He brims with boyish enthusiasm
After that the orchestra efficiently reorganised themselves while the piano was wheeled centre-stage, and the audience settled with anticipation for the arrival of Viv McClean. If you haven’t been to one of his concerts, you’ve missed a treat. He is a lanky Canadian with a glistening bald head, and he always wears a tail suit that looks several sizes too large. He brims with boyish enthusiasm, and sits at the piano with a hungry look in his eye as if he can’t wait to get on with it. And he never seems to play anything remotely easy.
This time he had the heroic task of playing the Piano concerto by john Ireland. This was originally written for his muse, Helen Perkin, who premiered it in 1930. The piece isn’t smooth or lush, it’s stormy and tempestuous, vividly portraying the feelings of Ireland towards his young protégé. There’s a slightly jazzy feel to it, with muted trumpets and interesting rhythms. The middle movement is lovely, like the eye of the storm, with a beautiful and lyrical theme. Viv McClean attacked the whole thing with his habitual energy and joy, peering at the sheet music occasionally, and whipping the pages over as it eager to get to the next part, all at the same time as his fingers were raking and charging all over the keyboard at mesmerising speed. It was amazing, and I’ll certainly listen to this piece again.
Assailed by everything the Devil could throw at him
After the interval the screen was used to great effect. The IWSO had decided to take on a truly epic piece. ‘Job: A Masque for Dancing’ was written by Ralph Vaughan Williams in the same year as the Ireland piece, in 1930. He was inspired by the extraordinary illustrations by William Blake about the story of Job, a harrowing tale from the Old Testament in which Job, the most pious of men was assailed by everything the Devil could throw at him with God’s permission, so he could be tempted to curse God.
Vaughan Williams saw it as a ballet, with 9 scenes. It’s huge and complex, with music representing a range from calm happiness to death, violence and tumults of emotions and despair. It has to represent God and the Devil, the Heavenly choirs and the hordes of Hell. Each scene was illustrated for us by the wonderful Blake drawings, and each scene was introduced by a quotation from the Book of Job.
So many stand-out moments I couldn’t list them all
The dances are beautifully titled, as in ‘Sarabande of the Sons of God’, and ‘Galliard of the Sons of the Morning’. I can only imagine what it would have looked like as a ballet, but the music itself was entirely filling, and the time passed as in a dream, full of lush melody and gorgeous playing and so many stand-out moments I couldn’t list them all.
I do have to mention Matthew Scrivener’s magnificent solo violin, standing out among so many great moments. He well deserved his ovation at the end. It was a deep and brilliant experience. I felt like I wasn’t present at a great concert, it was more like an event. I humbly thank the IWSO for allowing me to be there. It was unforgettable.
One of my all-time favourite pieces of music
The next concert will be on Saturday 2nd July at 7:15. I’m seriously excited about this, because they’re going to play one of my all-time favourite pieces of music, Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite No. 2. I discovered this by happy accident a few years ago, and I never thought I would ever have the opportunity of being at a concert where it was played. I’m so looking forward to it.
The rest of the programme will have a whiff of the Last Night of the Proms, or at least the season, with Arnold’s Overture: Peterloo, Capriccio Espagnole by Rimsky Korsakov, Suite Algérienne by Saint-Saens, Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach, and the World Première of a new work by Ian Lyn, called Farthing Down.
I can’t wait. See you there.
Images: © With kind permission of Allan Marsh
