Mark Shannahan and Forest Phil tackled a challenging program with gusto. There was no concerto to give the band a break - the replacement was Walton's Henry V suite, with its beaut string movements and full on battle music. Hope that doesnt appear in a bass audition any time soon, but apparently it has in the past!
The bass section sounded great - Jacqui Dosser joined us for the first time along with Nicko, Lesley, Helen and your truly.
Symphonie Fantastique is a piece that polarises people. I really like it but many do not. And it can be a banana skin for under prepared bass players. Most of us will look at the obvious bits in the 4th and 5th movements, but there are plenty of others that can catch us unawares. The exposed pizz passages in the intro to the first movement can be tricky to get together as a section - to rall or not to rall that is the question! The offbeat quaver passage in the middle of the first movement is tricky, individually and collectively. Despite all this, the basses sounded great.
And Arsenal lost to Birmingham in the Carling Cup Final, a great end to a wonderful day!
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