Isca Ensemble musical director Roger Hendy reviews Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra's recent performance in Sidmouth

It was with absolute delight that a well-managed capacity audience welcomed players of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra back to Sidmouth Parish Church on Saturday, July 10.

Flautist Anna Pyne with four leading string colleagues presented a wonderful programme of the highest quality containing popular works by Mozart and Dvořák. Mozart’s Divertimento in D major composed in Salzburg in 1772 was played with great poise and eloquence; the music exuding it’s easy informality and bound together with typical Mozartian precision. Helped by the wonderful acoustics of the church, this well-chosen cheerful piece was warmly received.

The performance of Mozart’s Flute Quartet in D was utterly charming and notable for being as close to ‘authentic Mozart’ as one could possibly imagine. A beautifully blended ensemble produced a stylistically perfect performance allowing the flute sufficient space to embellish those glorious solo passages. The most salient characteristics of the performance were Anna Pyne’s variety of perfectly chosen flute timbres, well-chosen tempi and above all else, an irrepressible sense of joy throughout.

If ever we needed a final tonic and some relief from the pressures on society at this present time, then to end this concert with Antonin Dvořák’s much-loved ‘American’ String Quartet was just the thing. Played with great panache, the BSO players led by Mark Derudder produced a rendering of impassioned quality adequately captivating the enchanting and highly infectious Czech rhythms. Dvořák cherished his days in Spillville, America, where this piece was composed, and this performance just oozed with delight. The reflective slow movement was deliciously inward with playing of extraordinary intensity throughout whilst the finale unfolded with great exuberance and brightness exemplifying Dvořák’s magnificent quartet writing.

Julia Slingo and her colleagues at the church are to be warmly congratulated at mounting such an enterprising event and we look forward to the return of much more live music in its many genres.