The eagerly anticipated annual Tayside Symphony Orchestra February concert, conducted by Richard Allan and led by Christine Mollison, lived up to the high expectations of the audience. More than 50 players were on stage in the Reid Hall, Forfar, on Saturday night and the sound was excellent.
This year, the theme was Happy Music with the choice ranging from a Beatles medley to dances (including polkas, waltzes and the Can Can) and film scores (including Gabriel’s Oboe and Colonel Bogey). The wide variety of styles and genres of music meant that there was something for everyone to enjoy. How enthusiastically the audience engaged with the audience-participation led by the conductor in some of the pieces, was a notable feature.
There were many splendid orchestrations, some leaning heavily on brass and woodwind and others giving the strings their chance to shine. The medleys also tested the ability of the percussion section as the players swapped roles with admirable fluidity and the minimum of fuss.
What’s up at the Symphony got the concert off to a flying start. Other well-known pieces included The Entertainer, The Waltzing Cat, Those Magnificent Men, The Mexican Hat Dance and 76 Trombones. The encore of Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da sent the audience homeward bound humming many memorable memories.
An evening of sheer pleasure and delight was warmly endorsed by the applause registering ‘Well Done’ to all musicians.