Sunday afternoon was back at Albert Hall for another orchestral concert, this time with Maruki. So how is this one different? It was oddly arranged with the symphony up first before interval. That may seem trivial but it's a radical departure from the norm.
It was done this way as the three shorter works had to go together and the final piece should be Elgar Pomp & Circumstance no.1. That's the Land of Hope & Glory theme and the final tune of Proms at the other Albert Hall (London) and this concert was called Last night Prom. And, finally, because it's fun to singalong with and the tune is so lively and stirring. It was also fast and tricky. The other shorties were Gounod Ballet music from Faust, mostly sight readable except maybe the quick final movement, and Tchaikovsky Marche Slave, which I've played before but still haven't mastered some tricky spots. The symphony was Dvorak 6, intense, committed, very fast even into thumb positions in the final movement, rest-less so the second movement was slower but demandingly passionate, and tricky in often unexpected themes and melodies. Not a work for slouches, but Maruki are not that: John can be expected to call up the big works. Maruki pulled it off not perfectly but surprisingly well. Congrats to all for a very demanding, extensive concert with some seriously demanding works.
Maruki Orchestra played Dvorak 6, Tchaikovsky, Gounod and Elgar at Albert Hall under John Gould (conductor).
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