REVIEW: Emerald Ensemble, Corsham Town Hall. The intimate elegance of a packed Corsham Town Hall gave an atmosphere of authenticity to a charming evening of baroque music by this home-grown ensemble, many of whom are frequent performers under a variety of local labels.
It was not only a reminder of next year's Corsham Festival June 22 to 29 but was also further emphasis of the quality that, with careful management, can be inherent in a festival in a small community.
Led by Roger Huckle, who founded them in 1994, the ensemble's playing had a stamp of coherence, with finely printed melody lines cascading through the ranks: indeed, baroque without the tears. Rachel Howgego's mellow cello underpinned much of the ensemble work.
The soloists, Hayley Savage guitar, Imogen Triner oboe and trumpets Gavin Wells and Stephen Cuttings must all have been grateful for an empathic background. Miss Savage's largo in Vivaldi's Guitar Concerto in D was eloquently sensuous.
The only question over the evening was whether it was necessary to have a master of ceremonies type presenter in Stephen Wright who merely read out aloud what most of us were quite capable of reading ourselves in the programme.
His reading of a Dylan Thomas piece was, however, nicely paced; maybe that would have been enough.
Reg Burnard
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