Concert Review
Surrey Mozart Players
Electric Theatre
April 28th, 2007
For the Surrey Advertiser-
A visit to a Surrey Mozart Players concert brings rich rewards. It is so good to be a member of an enthusiastic capacity audience because the orchestra has, not surprisingly, a considerable local following.
The programmes are always attractive and the concert on April 28th was no exception- Beethoven, Prokofiev, Schumann—a good mixture
The evening began with a moving tribute from the conductor, Kenneth Woods, who dedicated the concert to the memory of the great Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who died earlier in the week. Something of this deeply felt tribute to the great musician was passed on the orchestra, who then conveyed these feelings to us, the audience, with a very fine performance of Beethoven’s powerful Leonore Overture No. 3.
The Prokofiev Violin Concerto no. 2 requires a soloist with a formidable technique, and perhaps especially in the middle movement, a luscious, surging tone. Alexandra Wood was more than equal to all these requirements. The orchestra, too, responded splendidly to this demanding score. The Electric Theatre, such and otherwise excellent facility, alas can not quite provide the acoustic needed for this glowing music… But thank you’s to Kenneth Woods, Alexandra Wood and the orchestra for giving us this exquisite work by the great Russian master.
The concert ended with a superb performance of Schumann’s Symphony no. 3—the “Rhenish.” Its success was helped enormously by Kenneth Woods’ clearly presented introduction. Could we perhaps have musical examples next time?
G.F.
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