Ulster Orchestra @ The Belfast Waterfront – 21/05/2010

May 31, 2010 No Comments

Upon entering the venue we were positively buzzing with excitement at the prospect of an evening with The Ulster Orchestra performing their end of season show in the Waterfront main auditorium.

The Belfast Waterfront has hosted consistently enjoyable evenings, catering for all musical tastes, from folk festivals to legendary rock bands.

Tonight it was the turn of the Ulster Orchestra’s immensely talented classical musicians to shine. They have already performed a brilliant repertoire this season of “Vivaldic” proportions: includin

g January’s brilliant concert celebrating the  200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth and  a diverse showcase of Beethoven, Haydn and Cherubini in March.

Could they fulfill our hopes for a memorable evening on this Friday in late May, with a glance into the musical archives of Mozart and Tchaikovsky?  Reaching our seats we could only hope.

Three rows from the front we were a little surprised to find our view was restricted, unable to see the musicians in the last couple of rows. It seemed the focus centered on the front performers, perhaps placing more emphasis on the piano and conductor than the string and wind sections.

Any potential for disappointment soon vanished when conductor Kenneth Montgomery OBE entered the hall and took full advantage of the Waterfront’s superb acoustics.

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 26 held a wonderful balance of dynamics creating an atmosphere that tapped into many feelings and emotions, at one stage an outburst from the string section left us with goose bumps beneath our skin.

The pianist Louis Lortie was faultless and should be admired for pushing the presentation of such classical pieces in a way that could be appreciated by the mainstream, with his charismatic presence shining through.

The Orchestra demonstrated their enjoyment so vibrantly that the audience could not resist looking totally immersed in what was an explosive and engaging performance.

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 brought the season to an end. The use of dynamics throughout this piece surely brought a further array of emotions to all within the four walls of this impressive venue. I have always found this piece to be a bit disjointed for my taste with the array of instruments used. However, I must add that tonight’s delivery was tremendously enjoyable.

Kenneth Montgomery delivered a conducting master class, closing the evening with a few words before leaving The Ulster Orchestra for what was his last season.As he took to the wings those left behind could but hope he would return soon to thrill us with more of his excellence.

This is one audience member that will be keenly awaiting the new programme for next season.

JJ

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