Review: Birmingham Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra, at Birmingham Town Hall

Jul 2 2010 By Christopher Morley

Birmingham Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra gave undoubtedly its finest performance in its long and busy history, when it performed nothing less than Mahler’s mighty, probing and technically demanding Sixth Symphony under the brilliantly clear conducting of Lionel Friend.

This was no embryo symphony orchestra waiting to be hatched into the great wide world: this was a fully-fledged ensemble trained in every department to the highest standards, and delivering a totally professional account of one of the world’s greatest symphonies.

We have heard many full-time symphony orchestras in this masterpiece, possibly jaded in a “been here, done that” kind of way.

But this was different, with an approach of such freshness, strings richly-nourished, woodwind fearlessly eloquent, brass colourfully imposing, harps so resonant, percussion brilliantly adept – how gratifying to see the finale’s famous hammer-blows rendered with such little fuss but with so much effect. And Amy Littlewood led this huge orchestra stylishly and capably.

Credit to the meticulous sectional rehearsals which built towards this triumph, but even more credit to Friend, directing his last concert as conductor-in-residence of the orchestra. Fortunately we are not going to lose his invaluable input, as he has accepted the post of Conductor Emeritus.

As he told us afterwards, this was a work he had always wanted to conduct, and his enthusiasm radiated irresistibly to the students. And his interpretation of this wondrous score even made me forgive his placing of the slow movement second (when in my opinion it should be third), as we discussed in an exhilarating pre-concert interview.

Rating: 5/5