Diamonds are Forever: Review

The Trianon Music Group annual New Year concert kick-started its Diamond Jubilee year with an aptly-named programme of film and television music familiar to all throughout the last 60 years. As is now the norm for this concert, conducted by Christopher Green, it was deliberately light and colourful in content and presentation with the colour adorned by the decorated orchestra music stands and choir folders for which there was a prize for the best dressed!

The music was just as dazzling though, bursting with warmth and energy from the performance of all sections of players and singers. Rousing symphonic compositions by John Williams, Howard Goodall, Nigel Hess and John Barry included Star Wars, various television detectives and James Bond, plus Rogers and Hammerstein’s Sound of Music. These medleys kept on coming before the choir slowed the pace a little with songs by Cole Porter, Michel Legrand, Henry Mancini, Rogers and Hart and Howard Goodall. A further moment of quieter reflection was the poignant violin solo by Orchestra leader Steve Browne when playing John Williams’ Schindler’s List; warmly applauded by the audience of an almost full hall.

Special mention also has to go to Double Bass player Stephen Hogger, who penned a new arrangement from the Wizard of Oz to end the first half, and to local musician Andrew Burke who likewise produced a cluster of award-winning songs and tunes covering the last 60 years with which to end the evening – these being the first two of five new pieces commissioned by Trianon to be performed at its concerts during the year.

This was a most enjoyable concert that left the audience humming the big number tunes as they left – always a good sign. In fact, this diamond concert was truly a gem.

STUART REID