Wolsey Orchestra
Promoting Musical Excellence in Ipswich

Saturday 7th February 2004 7:30 pm Rossini Overture William Tell Schumann Concertstuck for 4 horns Beethoven Symphony No 3 Conductor: Tony Halstead Ipswich Corn Exchange

What the papers said...

East Anglain Daily Times

Live music at its best

It is a long time since I heard the Wolsey Orchestra and it was good to find them on such splendid form.  The Wosley have no permanent musical director; preferring to invite distinguished guest conductors, and on this occasion they were under the baton of Anthony Halstead, perhaps best known for appearances with the period instrument Hanover Band, in a programme of three works each with its own particular claim to distinction.
The overture to Rossini's truly Grand Opera, William Tell is a great showpiece for orchestra, both collectively and individually, and the orchestra delivered brilliantly on both counts. There was beautifully balanced playing from the solo cellos in the slow introduction; the principal solo performed with great distinction by Sue Smith. Impeccable solos too from flautist Debbie Rogers and cor anglais Neil Carlson, with the orchestra delivering the final gallop with tremendous elan.
After such an excellent beginning, a rare opportunity to hear a live performance of Schumann's Konzertstuck for four horns, a work in which he explores the potential of the valved horn, then comparatively new, and what a performance it was, with a splendid quartet of soloist Donald Clist, Stephen Orriss, Stephen Smart and Martin Childs revelling in Schumann's flamboyant writing, which they performed with virtual flawless virtuosity.
Finally Beethoven's Eroica. Anthony Halstead's was a no nonsense interpretation of the work, with no hint of indulgence: brisk especially in the slow movement and the slow section of the finale. Halstead obviously had great rapport with his players and they performed excellently: live music at its best
Frank Cliff

Evening Star

Showcase for French horns and orchestra

It is not often that the French horn is featured to the extent it was at the Wolsey Orchestra's winter concert at the Ipswich Corn Exchange.
There is only one four-horn concerto-type piece in the musical repertoire - Schumann's Konzertstuck for four horns.  This was the main work in the first part of the concert.
Three horns also play an important part in the Scherzo of Beethoven's third symphony (the Eroica), which took up the rest of the concert.
In addition, the conductor for the eveneing, Anthony Halstead, is a well-known horn soloist and for many years through the 1970s and 1980s was principal horn with the London Symphony Orchetra and English Chamber Orchestra.
The concert began with Rossini's William Tell Overture, played with style from the opening representation of an Alpine sunise (five solo cellos) through the storm and pastoral scene to the famous fanfare for horns and trumpets which introduces the final section.
The Konzertstuk featured four good soloists - Donald Clist (first horn), Stephen Orriss (second horn), Stephen Smart (thrid horn) and Martin Childs (fourth horn).
The harmonic depth of this work makes it one of Schumann's most interesting scores and all contributed to a first-rate performance.
This year is the biecentenery of the Eroica symphony and the huge impact this work made at the time is a fascinating subject.
The Wolsey Orchestra were in top form here, guided by Anthony Halstead's able skills.
David Ruddock

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