BY happy coincidence the Scottish Chamber Orchestra was in Skye last
Friday while I was soaking up the wild beauties of the south-west of the
island, so I took the tortuous route from Elgol to Broadford Village
Hall where they were playing a summery programme to a packed house.
This was one (and a delightful one) of a series of concerts in the
SCO's Highlands tour, a much appreciated annual event in these remote
parts: some of the players were off to Plockton next day, too, to coach
local children, in a co-ordinated music education programme which has
already had valuable spin-offs.
It's refreshing to see the orchestra in close-up, it gives quite a
fresh perspective, and seems to be good for the players too. Leader
James Clark proved an extremely sound and able director, from the
violin, and the Dvorak Serenade for Strings was tender and charming,
nicely spaced and well balanced. Sound in this little village hall was
excellent and Schubert's Overture in the Italian Style was full and
vibrant with an effervescence which was pure Rossini.
The attractive Concerto for two Bassoons by Vanhal (an
eighteenth-century Bohemian composer much admired by Mozart) was also
given a sensitive, affectionate performance by SCO members Ursula
Leveaux and Alison Green. Pure, dreamy Delius completed the programme --
On hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring -- which made for a nice contrast.
The cuckoo is making its presence felt in Skye at the moment, but with
somewhat more raucous tones.
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