The Dome, Brighton, Sunday 22 March 2015

The final concert of the season saw the return of Barry Wordsworth from his antipodean journeys and the largest number of players on stage for a very long time.

Lord Berners is hardly a familiar name where twentieth century composers are concerned but his Fantasie Espagnole  is a delightful set of pieces which are aware of Ravel and Debussy in passing but always more tongue-in-cheek than romantically serious. The Fandango is wildly enthusiastic and the final Pasadoble fires off in all directions.

By contrast Walton’s cello concerto seemed heavily introspective even in the experienced hands of  Raphael Wallfisch. The opening movement tended to drift and it was not until the more expansive sections of the Allegro appassionato that the performance came more sharply into focus. The final movement brought us the two long solos from Raphael Wallfisch, much exquisite playing and a touching conclusion.

Holst’s The Planets is so regularly played in parts on the radio that it comes as quite a shock to encounter the sheer dynamic impact it makes in the concert hall. Mars is often uncomfortably loud and the heady enthusiasm of Jupiter intoxicating. It was obvious that the orchestra were really enjoying playing the work and relishing the many solo opportunities it gives them. The fiendishly difficult runs in Mercury did not seem to worry the woodwind, and the extended percussion provided bite and accuracy in their many exposed passages. The orchestra was joined in Neptune by the women’s voices of Brighton Festival Chorus singing from behind the stage. During the movement the blend was fine but the final fade did not quite happen and they appeared to be suddenly cut off rather than disappear. Maybe we are too used to electronic signals failing all of a sudden.

The new season starts on 11 October with works by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Kalinnikov. All details from www.brightonphil.org.uk