Bedford Sinfonia, under the baton of Ian Smith, delivered a great performance on Saturday, 3 May, treating a record audience at St Paul’s Church to a beautiful programme of English orchestral music.
The evening began with a pre-concert talk by clarinettist Paul Harris, the soloist later in the evening, sharing his expert knowledge of Malcolm Arnold, the composer.
After summery pieces by Holst and Delius (eagle-eared listeners counted 18 cuckoo calls), Harris gave a stylish and lively performance of Malcolm Arnold’s Second Clarinet Concerto. The ragtime-influenced final movement came as a surprise and both orchestra and audience clearly enjoyed every moment.
The highlight for many was Vaughan Williams’ Fifth Symphony, played with great sensitivity. The church’s resonant acoustic allowed the strings to shine, and the woodwind section also drew special praise. “Simply sublime,” said one listener; “an exquisite performance,” said another.
From the gallery, which was unusually full, one audience member said: “We got the full effect of the swelling strings… really superb playing.”
“It was a lovely evening out,” said one concert-goer, made all the more enjoyable by tea, coffee, and homemade cakes from the St Paul’s Church team. A true community gathering.
A favourite post-concert anecdote came from a player whose pregnant friend reported that her baby had “a right royal jig” during the Arnold and then settled for the symphony.
Warm congratulations to all members of Bedford Sinfonia – we look forward to many more evenings of musical magic.
The next concert from the Bedfordshire Orchestral Society is Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, 24 May at 7.30pm at Bedford Corn Exchange. The programme features Tchaikovsky Symphony 6 and Shostakovich Cello Concerto no. 1 and you can book tickets here.
by Ann Collins
Bedfordshire Orchestral Society
