Mozart’s Requiem – The St Edmundsbury Concert
It was marvellous!
Friday’s concert in St Edmundsbury Cathedral was as magnificent as the setting.
Beethoven – the first symphony – composed by a young man… conducted by a younger one! Lewis – here he stood as a Year 13, yet he had the poise of a past master, the calm authority of someone far more experienced; and an orchestra in front of him at the top of its game. The music soared, the melodies sang and danced, the audience sat in rapt attention. And that fourth movement, with, in Lewis’s own words (yes, he wrote the programme notes as well!), its ‘brazen ending’! No wonder we stood – not just for Beethoven, or the orchestra, but also for Lewis, for youth, for passion and for virtuosity.
Follow that.
No sooner said than done, sir.
Mozart’s Requiem. Oh my goodness. The soloists – Miss Weston, Amy Lyddon, Jonathan Hanley and Kieran Rayner – breathtaking! The orchestra, led my Mrs Scott-Smissen – outstanding! The chorus – well, to say we enjoyed ourselves would be a start… to say we are all no doubt humming away even now, and still sent a-tingle by the memories, would be to get a little closer. And the audience agreed – once more brought to their feet at the close in celebration of all that is wonderful about the best of music played in the mightiest of settings by the finest of musicians. Woodbridge School at its best. Thank you, St Edmundsbury Cathedral for your hospitality; thank you – and congratulations! – to Mr Turner, Miss Weston, Mrs Stafford and all the performers for an unforgettable evening.
