St Peter’s Church, Bexhill, 22nd September 2019

Sussex Concert Orchestra presented a matinee of Baroque works at St Peter’s under their regular conductor Kenneth Roberts. Opening with William Boyce’s early First Symphony they moved rapidly on to Handel’s Organ Concerto in F major more familiarly known as the Cuckoo and the Nightingale. Organist Anthony Wilson provided clean high registration for the Allegro with its bird song, and a more profound tone for the melancholic central fugue.

The orchestra was then joined by Hastings Bach Choir for two brief but effective movements from Bach cantatas before the afternoon concluded with Bach’s 2^nd Brandenburg Concerto. This proved to be the highlight of the day with its fine balance of solo instruments and superb playing from Andy Gill’s high, bright piccolo trumpet and the warmth of Thomas Pickering’s recorder.