Battling orchs

It was a night of big but very diverse sounds.  First up a considerable classical orchestral concert by the ANU Orchestra, long enough to deserve an interval.  A few very popular pieces but also somethings new.  Mozart Symphony no.40 Gmin is everybody's but still a great, inviting work.  There were a few movements of concerti, one of clarinet by Weber and the first movement of the famed Elgar cello concerto.  There was a Glanville Hicks Sinfonia de Pacifica which sounded more Asian than islander to my ears and Megan's and an original by a current student, Bartholomew Bunk Alpha and Omega.   I liked this one, clear in intent and capably conventional in structure and obvious in stating the start and end, the alpha and omega.  And a few short but massively popular heavyweights, Copland Fanfare for the common man, with the brass up and behind our heads and the strings looking from stage to upper gallery, and Sibelius Finlandia to end.  A concert of considerable depth but popularity and nicely played with lines clearly expressed if a little reticent at times; nothing unexpected.  Then off to the Athenaeum for a further hour with wines in hand and the chance to clapping the solos with the ANU Jazz Orchestra under Greg Stott.  First up were a few latins and sambas and an interesting contemporary tune nicely using bass bowing at one stage and into standards with vocals, Somewhere over the rainbow and Night and day and an end with Dizzy Gillespie Manteca.  Decent solos and particularly interesting from the percussion/drums section and some lovely, satisfyingly sharp and meaty ensemble work and one deep bari solo which was well done but will always amuse regardless.

A night out in Llewellyn with the ANU Orchestra under Rowan Harvey-Martin and the ANU Jazz Orchestra under Greg Stott.