What the papers say
You will never hear a better performance of William Walton's Symphony No.1 than the one given by the West Forest Sinfonia to a full house at Wellington College. The rapport between Philip Ellis, the conductor, and the players was as close as you can get. Walton's complex creation simply swept along brilliantly from its confident, striding start to the triumphant finish.
The opening movement was firm and assertive. The second movement reminded one of an angry little insect darting about "with malice" - here the orchestra's deftness was superb. The melancholy andante was serene, flowing tranquilly towards its warm climax and fading sadly down through the woodwinds.
The last movement was breathtaking with its bright, brassy grandeur. The fugue was beautifully sparkling.
Lorraine Deacon's performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto was lovely - lyrical, nimble and clear. Ellis's reading allowed the music to speak for itself and to reveal the gaiety, joy and sorrow that is written into this amaziing concerto.
The concert also included Delius's dreamy The Walk to the Paradise Garden. The nostalgic tranquillity of this bittersweet, very "English", piece is always a pleasure to listen to.
Rosemary Bayliss
Wokingham Times, 13 February 2002
The opening movement was firm and assertive. The second movement reminded one of an angry little insect darting about "with malice" - here the orchestra's deftness was superb. The melancholy andante was serene, flowing tranquilly towards its warm climax and fading sadly down through the woodwinds.
The last movement was breathtaking with its bright, brassy grandeur. The fugue was beautifully sparkling.
Lorraine Deacon's performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto was lovely - lyrical, nimble and clear. Ellis's reading allowed the music to speak for itself and to reveal the gaiety, joy and sorrow that is written into this amaziing concerto.
The concert also included Delius's dreamy The Walk to the Paradise Garden. The nostalgic tranquillity of this bittersweet, very "English", piece is always a pleasure to listen to.
Rosemary Bayliss
Wokingham Times, 13 February 2002
The orchestra, led by Ron Colyer and conducted by Philip Ellis started the evening off with a lovely piece by Brahms, his Variations on a theme by Haydn. Eight excellent variations, very individual yet clearly linked together, very well played indeed.
After the interval the orchestra was joined by Anne Marie Czajkowski (Soprano) Susan Jelly (Contralto) Alistair Armit (Tenor) David Stout (Bass) and the Reading Haydn Choir in the very fine Symphony No 9 (The Choral) by Beethoven.
What a truly magnificent work this is and the orchestra, soloists and choir gave a really splendid rendition of the work. The rousing final movement based on Schiller's Ode to Joy was magnificent. An evening of quality musical entertainment.
Tandem
Reading Chronicle, 27 June 2002
After the interval the orchestra was joined by Anne Marie Czajkowski (Soprano) Susan Jelly (Contralto) Alistair Armit (Tenor) David Stout (Bass) and the Reading Haydn Choir in the very fine Symphony No 9 (The Choral) by Beethoven.
What a truly magnificent work this is and the orchestra, soloists and choir gave a really splendid rendition of the work. The rousing final movement based on Schiller's Ode to Joy was magnificent. An evening of quality musical entertainment.
Tandem
Reading Chronicle, 27 June 2002
The overture to Weber's opera Oberon is, nowadays, far more popular than the opera for which it was orignally written and is the ideal opening number for an orchestral concert. The West Forest Sinfonia, under thier conductor Philip Ellis, gave a cheerful rendition of this popular dramatic work that certainly whetted our appetite for what was to follow.
Guest artist Anne-Marie Czajkowski had chosen Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs for her solo spot, her delightful soprano voice reverberated around the chruch, enhanced by suberb sympathetic accompaniment.
I have heard this talented orchestra give many varied performances over the years, but for my money their performance of Shostakovich's Symphony no.10 in E Minor (Op.93) was one of their finest, fully justifying the sustained ovation it received, the relentlessly fortissimo second movement being the evening's highlight.
Barrie Theobald
Reading Chronicle, 10/2/2005
Guest artist Anne-Marie Czajkowski had chosen Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs for her solo spot, her delightful soprano voice reverberated around the chruch, enhanced by suberb sympathetic accompaniment.
I have heard this talented orchestra give many varied performances over the years, but for my money their performance of Shostakovich's Symphony no.10 in E Minor (Op.93) was one of their finest, fully justifying the sustained ovation it received, the relentlessly fortissimo second movement being the evening's highlight.
Barrie Theobald
Reading Chronicle, 10/2/2005