Reviews

Reviewed today are Ulster Orchestra - Takuo Yuasa at the Ulster Hall, Belfast, Santa's Christmas Mystery at the SFX City Theatre and Mark Duley and David Lee  at the Trinity College Chapel

Ulster Orchestra - Takuo Yuasa

Ulster Hall, Belfast

Dvorák - Symphonic Variations Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto

Mozart - Symphony No 40

This performance of Mozart's Symphony No 40 continued the Ulster Orchestra's short survey of the last three Mozart symphonies.

In contrast to Thierry Fischer last week, Takuo Yuasa is not concerned with giving us every last repeat (which in this case would have involved repeating both parts of the second movement and the finale). This was a performance eager to reach its goal, with brisk tempi in the outer movements.

The expressive poise achieved in the opening bars tended later to be subordinated to rhythmic insistence, and the work's tragic spirit came through most strongly in a slowish but sturdy minuet.

There was more warmth in the opening Dvorák variations, a fun piece despite its rather formal-sounding title, and more effective pointing of detail in the Mendelssohn.

Pekka Kuusisto's playing of the solo part here was anything but routine. This was an antidote to the type of performance which is mostly about projecting a big even tone. He has obviously thought carefully about every aspect of the work, and each phrase was shaped individually.

Although the conception was historically informed in some respects - for instance, as far as the free but judicious application of vibrato was concerned - it was first and foremost a thoughtful and personal rethinking of the work.

One could argue with certain aspects, for example the self-conscious breaking-up of the opening theme, while respecting the intention. More sweetness of tone would have been welcome in places, but the finale could not have been faulted for brilliant technique.

Santa's Christmas Mystery

SFX City Theatre

The words and music for this new panto have been written by Shay Healy and Michael Scott, and their combined expertise shows. It is a very simple affair, with a cast of six.

The set and costumes by Michael McCaffrey are basic, but more than adequate. The songs composed for the show are not destined to make the charts. But the whole gels nicely, and everyone goes home happy.

The trick is clearly in the show's very simplicity, and the good humour generated by the actors. There is the likeable hero of Darren (George McMahon), who grows Christmas trees, the booming Santa of Tim Landers, the leading girl (she's the only one) of Clare Ivory, Santa's comic helpers Humpy, Grumpy and Lumpy - and a terrific villain.

For me, the undisputed star of the panto is Kieran Gough as Insanity Claus, the evil genius bent on destroying Christmas for everyone, who leaves a trail of clues to keep us guessing. He is a hilarious nasty who refers to his brother Santa as a goody-goody fatso, a sentiment that seemed to find favour with the audience. His dastardly plan comes close to succeeding, but he falls at the final fence, with Darren doing the pushing.

The song numbers, which seem to have been pre-recorded (or the amplification is potty) have a little extra in the areas of melody and wit.

There are Insanity's heartfelt I Hate Christmas, the anti-romance number Yuck, a witty If You Met A Yeti, Darren's sturdy I'll Be There, a Christmas Trees song and more of the same which support the action.

Michael Scott direction finds a happy effervescence to maintain a feel-good factor throughout the brief (90 minutes including an interval) performance.

Well, we know the potential of small parcels.

Mark Duley, David Lee (organ)

Trinity College Chapel

As the Pipeworks series of Bach's complete organ works approaches its final concert next week, there has been no flagging in the high standard set by almost every recital.

On Tuesday the director of Pipeworks (the Dublin International Organ Festival), Mark Duley, presented the third of his solo contributions (several recitals are given by two or more players), and showed the imagination that has guided his construction of the series.

The recital was based around the Schübler chorale preludes. However, the programme had another strong, less-obvious theme. With one exception, all the Schübler preludes are arrangements of movements from cantatas. The outer sections of the opening work, Pièce d'orgue BWV572, are based on French harpsichord style. Its five-part central section is a massive choral motet; and that same style underlies the Allabreve in D BWV589 at the end of the recital.

The Sonata No. 5 in C BWV529, which came between the third and fourth preludes, is an organ equivalent of the trio sonata for two violins and bass.

Mark Duley played all this music with a fresh-sounding, precisely focused energy. Here was the authority of one who knows exactly what each piece represents.

Thursday's recital by David Lee was based on various liturgical chorale preludes, and showed a striking use of articulation. For example, in the opening work, the Fantasia and Fugue in C minor BWV537, articulation was unobtrusive, and never seemed to be making a point because it did precisely what it should - make the lines clear.

Lee's playing of the concluding work, the great Prelude and Fugue in B minor BWV544, was especially striking. The fugue, played at some speed and with massive registration, was fearless in the way it drove remorselessly and dramatically forward.

Great stuff!