Masterclass

Kevin Wilde, Chair of the Friends of CPSO, writes:

Another splendid evening of classical music provided by the City of Peterborough Symphony Orchestra at the Cathedral for this year’s summer concert.

Three excellent pieces, the first two showcasing the cello in impressive style with the William Tell Overture led by guest principal cellist, Charlotte McAuliffe, skilfully bringing the strings cello section to the fore. The way then opened for the orchestra’s involvement in the best known parts of this overture. 

Second a masterclass by guest soloist Jakob Kullberg who played the Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No 1., This was the piece with which Sheku Kanneh Mason won the BBC Young Musician of the year competition in 2017. With the support of the strings and the solo French horn, played by Tim Rausch in his farewell appearance, and indeed the whole orchestra it was a privilege to witness this powerful work being played with such passion. It was an additional pleasure to hear, as part of his encore, Jakob play the cello like a guitar and sing a song he wrote himself. This was inspired by Yeates' poem "Tread softly because you tread on my dreams".

Finally, a firm favourite as so much of Tchaikovsky’s music proves to be, his Symphony number 5 in E minor. From the lovely slow opening of the 1^st movement by the woodwind section through to the entry of the French horn at the early stages of the 2^nd, leading into the beautiful blend of brass and strings, it was evident we were in for a treat. So it proved. As the music gathered pace through the 3^rd and 4^th movements, providing a wonderful harmony of sound, each section of our orchestra and conductor, Bjorn Bantock, were clearly at one with the music as we listening were.

Difficult to choose a particular crowd-pleaser from the three pieces of music chosen for the concert. I am inclined to choose the Tchaikovsky, but I am sure many of the audience were delighted to be taken back more than 60 years to their childhood memories of a TV cowboy and Silver, his horse, brought back to us by The William Tell Overture. Or perhaps the true musical connoisseurs would have found the energy and skill brought to us in the performance of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No 1 the most satisfying. Whatever, thanks again to our Orchestra for entertaining us so well. The concert was very well received.