Wycombe Swan: City of London Sinfonia ****

3:38pm Thursday 13th March 2008

"Great" is not a word I often use. Indeed it is a word sadly misused these days. However from the moment conductor Paul Watkins brought down his baton to produce the opening bars of Gustav Holst's St Paul's Suite, one felt that a "great" concert was in the offing. And this prediction proved to be, in my view, correct.

The Holst initiated an evening of music for strings. I have always rated this Suite as a pleasant, easy-going work in the composer's early style. Yet this performance, (aided by leader Nicholas Ward's solo contributions) with its combination of dynamism and intensity made it appear as almost a different work. Its folk-song element was so outstandingly illustrated as to make one recall Holst's country walks with Vaughan Williams.

Again, the performance of Benjamin Britten's Les Illuminations, settings of Rimbaud in French, had similar qualities (though a pity there was no English translation available). Britten has been accused of precociousness over early pieces like this, but soprano Lisa Milnes illustrated its sterling qualities, and - indeed - sometimes even foreshadowed the role of Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes.

There followed Gustav Mahler's arrangement for string orchestra of Schubert's Death and the Maiden String Quartet. In fact, the programme notes tell us, the addition of the double bass and occasional use of mutes apart, Mahler does little to it. What made a profound difference was the extra volume of sound from the weight of instruments, which, as interpreted by Paul Watkins, was clear, definite and sometimes remarkable.

On the downside, however, was the far from full Swan Theatre, though those present were enthusiastic. We were informed that funding for the next series of concerts is now secure (there had been doubts over them), but one must wonder how much the High Wycombe public deserves such public patronage if it cannot properly support a marvellous concert like this one. The Sinfonia's track record is good, and the public should trust their repertoire, even if not all the works advertised are well known.

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