An uplifting serenade to spring

Music / “Serenading In Spring”, Musica Da Digital camera String Orchestra. At Holy Covenant Anglican Church, September 17. Reviewed by LEN POWER.

WITH “Serenading in Spring”, Musica Da Digital camera String Orchestra offered a very well-chosen program of works that have been uplifting, refreshing, joyful and optimistic. 

It created the right temper for this time of 12 months as we depart the darkish and chilly of winter behind and embrace the glories of spring with, hopefully, the tip of the pandemic in sight as effectively.

This system featured music by Bartók, Delius, Volkmann, Glazunov and Nielsen. Conductor and musical director Shilong Ye achieved a excessive customary of disciplined and delicate enjoying by the orchestra all through the live performance.

Béla Bartók’s “Romanian Folks Dances” got a vibrant efficiency to start out this system. These six dances, based mostly on seven tunes from Transylvania, have been melodious and dramatic. Pictures of peasants frolicking and rejoicing at first of spring simply got here to thoughts.

“Two Aquarelles” (Two Songs to be Sung of A Summer season Night time on the Water) by Frederick Delius was composed in 1917 and organized for string orchestra in 1932 by Eric Fenby. The primary half has a dream-like high quality that the orchestra captured with delicacy and feeling. The second half is extra joyful however nonetheless retains a reflective high quality and it was performed with nice sensitivity.

The music of Friedrich Robert Volkmann was hottest earlier than World Conflict I. His “Serenade for String Orchestra No. 2” is a lush, romantic piece, filled with various moods. The orchestra performed this work significantly effectively, giving it a satisfying depth of feeling.

After a brief interval got here “Theme and Variations for String Orchestra Op. 97” by Alexander Glazunov. Composed in 1918, the variations across the opening theme produce a well-played melodic work of nice curiosity. 

The ultimate work was Carl Nielsen’s “Suite For Strings Op. 1”. The orchestra performed the three distinct components of this work once more with notable sensitivity.

The altering spring climate of sunshine one minute and showers the following via the big church home windows added further environment to a extremely pleasing and considerate music program.