THE concert by the Peebles Orchestra at Kingsland School last Saturday, May 11 was a rousing success.

Robert Dick had chosen a programme which had including some rarities, the orchestra was on top form throughout the evening, and was elegantly conducted by him.

Daniel Auber’s overture Le Domino Noir was new to me.

The downbeat produced a dramatic start to the concert, ‘cellos, basses and bassoons providing a firm foundation. A sweet woodwind choir announced one of the themes, later lovely flute, piccolo and clarinet solos with occasional support from the trumpets. The upper strings also made their rich presence. A Rossini like gradual crescendo, which the Italian master had created 20 years before, nicely controlled by the conductor brought us to the coda.

Mark Wilson’s was the violin soloist in Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole a five movement

work with a strong Spanish flavour which demands every branch of violin technique from the player. Wilson embraced the difficulties with great confidence, and produced a lush tone in the more lyrical moments. The second movement’s dance like scherzando produced some deft fingering. The 3rd movement had a seductive slow dancelike mood played with aplomb. The final notes, a lovely pizzicato exchange between soloist and the orchestral strings.

The next movement an Andante commenced with a heartfelt chorale from the brass and wind instruments producing a rich sonority. A wonderful rich vibrato from from the soloist, spinning a delightful web from this king of instruments.

Last of all the Rondo, this lively piece that most people will recognise, with deft woodwind accompaniment, the soloist gave us a great display, whilst producing the necessary sadness in the contrasting broader theme. Robert Dick created a great accompaniment throughout this wonderful piece.

The second half commenced with Brahms Hungarian Dance No.17. This composer was passionate about the music of the Hungarian gypsies. Twenty one in all originally for piano duet, few were orchestrated by him, the remainder by others, this one the first of the last five were orchestrated by Dvorak. A slow introduction with woodwind and ravishing ‘cellos. Other highlights were the lovely first violins,

with Judith Buttars violas colouring the coda. The orchestra had fewer strings than usual, however, the regular players created a rich sonority.

The concert ended with music by a master orchestrator, Antonin Dvorak, his tone poem ’The Golden Spinning Wheel ‘ Excellent ‘cellos set the wheel in motion, then the PO’s excellent horns carrying off their exposed entry beautifully, as the piece got underway we could hear the rich sound of the contra bassoon. The brass really

shone in this one movement work. Too many things to mention, but the leader Claire Taylor’s solo stood out. Beautiful clarinet, flute and cor anglais solos, the harp colouring the woodwind, with the excellent piccolo scaling the heights in this brilliant score. The dovetailing of the violas and flutes in the 6/8 section, the singing high violins leading in the exultant coda, all gems.

A most enjoyable evening.

Kenneth McAllister