Music / Reviews
Review: The Virtuous Circle – ‘A bold and vibrant rendition of an orchestral staple’
Even the mere utterance of the words ‘symphony orchestra’ would evoke images of bow ties, black dresses, starched shirts and shoes with immaculate sheen. And the figure of the conductor is a distant demi-god who barely interacts with the audience. Picture the late Herbert von Karajan for reference.
But during the opening night of the Bristol leg of the BBC Proms at the Beacon, conductor Charles Hazlewood stood among the audience. It was a performance to remember for many reasons which will undoubtedly set the bar for future orchestral shows.
Hazlewood appeared relaxed in t-shirt, jeans and trainers with his signature Tom Selleck moustache. But this was no mistake. Hazlewood is a rebel with a cause. His zeal is almost evangelical. His mission is no less than bringing the orchestra to wider audiences.
is needed now More than ever
Paraorchestra which he founded back in 2011 made its Proms debut in the city of its birth.
The founder of the Paraochestra, Charles Hazlewood, led the proceedings for the evening
The bill, The Virtuous Circle, featured Mozart’s evergreen masterpiece Symphony no.40 interspersed with some original works by the Ivor Novello Award-winning composer Oliver Vibrans. The result was a kaleidoscope of colours, emotions and sounds.
Paraorchestra, the only ensemble with both disabled and non-disabled professional musicians, played Mozart as one may have never heard or ‘seen’ before: from memory, moving among the audiences, incorporating choreography into their performance.
The Paraorchestra is the only ensemble in the world to feature both disabled and non-disabled professional musicians
The first movement with soaring strings was followed by an original composition of Vibrans’ which had a contemplative ambience.
But before moving to the second movement of the Mozart symphony there was an audio testimony from a member of the ensemble. This pattern was followed through the one-hour performance, with themes ranging from loss to living with disability and the gift of music.
There was a coordinated chaos on the stage for each movement conveying the the composition through multiple media. The performance was nothing short of a cascade of sound, light, smoke and rhythm.
The choreography, devised by Tom Jackson Greaves, gave a sheen to the mercurial performance
During the symphony’s third movement, the cello and violins stood on either side of the back of the auditorium while woodwinds stood diagonally to them. The centre stage was occupied by other orchestral members mixing among the audience.
The final movement began with a choral musing, much akin to a polyphonic choir. It was then brought to a climax with a full-bodied orchestral sound that filled the Beacon’s hall, conferring on all a performance to remember.
There was a coordinated chaos on stage infusing music and choreography to produce a colourful rendition of Mozart’s evergreen classic
The bold and brilliant choreography of Tom Jackson Greaves gave a sheen to Paraorchestra’s mercurial performance.
The standing ovation continued for minutes unabated, providing a seal of approval for the performance which could well set a precedent for the future of classical music performances worldwide.
All photos: Eljay Briss
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