Bath Chronicle, 20 July 2000

The Amadeus Orchestra is a training ground for young players, giving them the experience and confidence to make their way in the tough world of professional music. On last night's evidence, their prospects seem very promising.

 

Sensibly, the programme was designed to show us the full range of orchestral sounds, and the opener, Strauss's Don Juan, with its full-throated brass and vivid percussion, started with a bang and it proved rather too much for the Assembly Room acoustic. This is a rich sensuous score, full of dark delights and the band took it full throttle.

 

Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, written 30 years later, is dazzling in its contrasting use of glowing colours and exciting rhythms and this performance had all the magic inherent in the story - lovely woodwind and some exceptional string playing.

 

Elgar's Enigma Variations - all 14 of them - occupied the second half and the orchestra took the transition from Russia to late Victorian England in their stride. This was a reading of great sensitivity and understanding, witty, grave and joyous in turn, full of good things - dynamic contrast, excellent brass again, poignant woodwind and lush strings.

 

A concert full of abundant promise, which ended with an encore, Pomp and Circumstance Number 1, played presto furioso. The audience loved it.

 

Peter Lloyd Williams

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