Review - Brighton Philharmonic at Brighton Dome

The near capacity audience was treated to an increasingly exhilarating performance which gathered pace slowly from the ponderous beginning of Haydn’s Symphony No.98 and fired up beautifully in the Bach concerto for Oboe and Violin which completed the first half.

There cannot be sufficient praise on offer for the superb performances of the soloists, BPO regulars Alun Darbyshire (oboe) and Daniel Bhattacharya (violin), who maintained a terrific pace and cohesion through the constant musical interchanges which sizzled through the movements, especially the allegro first and last.

In the second half the well-known Mozart Symphony No.39 did not disappoint. The smaller chamber orchestra, with strings and a few wind instruments, gave of their best and finished the afternoon concert with a rousing finale.

As the final harmonies floated across the concert hall, there was a myriad of smiles in the audience. For them there was no greatness to work for or have thrust upon them, there was just greatness for them to enjoy.

The next concert in the series is on Sunday February 10 and features works by Wagner, Bruch and Prokofiev on the ubiquitous February theme of Love.