Concert Review – OMM/WAYO 14th Dec

I wish I had played in this concert, honestly. Other concerts, not so; certainly not the Rach or the Rimsky-Korsakov programmes and probably not the Mahler ones coming up next year either. But I can't help but rue the fact that this is the second time in my musical life there was an opportunity to play the Planets, and I missed it (the first one when I was too noob to be in SNYO, years back).

We saw some pretty solid playing, and I was impressed that the combined orchestra rose to the occasion. The brasses especially were fabulous, and milked the loud bits for all they were worth. I'm sure they enjoyed the mambo from West Side Story. I thought the basses did pretty well too, especially a couple of prominent passages in Holst's Saturn.

Fabulous solos from Ike, Zhaohan and especially Beverly. I'd forgotten that she was back, didn't recognise her at first and was absolutely stunned by the solos in the first couple of movements of the Planets (I think Venus); I was wondering where in Singapore did OMM manage to dig out this cellist! The quartet in West Side Story (was it Somewhere? or a later section?) did well too, as did the harps (especially the first encore).

A couple of disappointing areas though – though I'm not familiar with the score, I felt that the tempo changes in Mars (the contrast between the opening/final tempo and the quieter middle section) were rather jarring. There was too wide a discrepancy and when the orchestra went back to tempo primo it seemed more wrenched and forced than necessary. Mercury almost fell apart I think at or around the first violin solo – I think there was a missing part or section there, and it offset everyone rather. The opening tempo for West Side Story was rather controlled too, almost lacking in energy; I think everyone was too cautious there. Or perhaps it was a long programme.

Having the choir directly facing the audience in Neptune – rather than backstage as directed by Holst – seemed to make it a tad too prominent and jarring too, and the blue lighting merely cheapened the experience! The ethereal, otherworldly quality of the writing was completely unexploited. Having said that though, I guess there must have been reasons for having the choir visible to the audience; it was their only part in the entire concert and I'm sure they appreciated the visual exposure.

But these were minor details, and generally it was an excellent effort on the part of the players! I appreciated the thoughtful choice of the second encore, and I must admit I sang along to 'Land of Hope and Glory'. I don't think many people know the lyrics so here they are:

Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?
Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,
God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.