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Verve and Flair
Derby Concert Orchestra plays film music,
heard by MIKE WHEELER
Following their excursion into the world of blockbuster film music in their 2008 Christmas concert, Derby Concert Orchestra and conductor Jonathan Trout made a return visit this year [Derby Cathedral, UK, 12 December 2009].
Excerpts from James Horner's Coplandesque music for Apollo 13 and two John Williams scores -- Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Skull -- were dispatched with verve and flair. It's a long time since I've seen the film of Raymond Briggs' The Snowman, and I'd forgotten just how inventive Howard Blake's score is. DCO's performance brought its richly varied colours to glowing life, with expertly delivered narration by retired local teacher Jeff Moule (although balance with the orchestra in more fully-scored moments was not ideal), and 'Walking in the Air' confidently sung by Derby Cathedral chorister George Stephenson.
The Cathedral boys made their own contribution, sounding as good as I've ever heard them, as did Annie Mooney, a remarkable fourteen-year-old, born blind, who sang to her own keyboard accompaniment. I just hope her huge potential gets the right kind of guidance.
As last year, the concert was too long, and would have benefited from a (not too obtrusively jolly) presenter to stitch the whole evening together.
Copyright © 31 December 2009
Mike Wheeler,
Derby UK
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