Performances wow audience (From Western Telegraph)

Performances wow audience

St David's Cathedral was filled to capacity last Tuesday for a memorable concert by Cor Dewi Sant and the Westward Chamber Orchestra conducted by John Davies.

One of the highlights of the Fishguard Music Festival, the programme featured Vivaldi's popular Gloria , Bach's Violin Concerto in E and Haydn's Nelson Mass.

Cor Dewi Sant were quite outstanding, their rich tone and timing perfect. They last performed Handel with this orchestra locally last year.

The Bach violin concerto with soloist David Juritz was played with lightness and verve. Vivaldi's Gloria is a magnificent piece which sustained the excitement from first to last with excellent support from soloists Elizabeth Donovan (who makes her Proms debut next month in Iolanta), Nerys Jones, Paul Badley and Jeremy Huw Williams. They all have links with the festival and drew encore after encore from an appreciative audience.

The following evening the hugely popular Nash Ensemble, which celebrates its 40th anniversary, made its fourth visit to the festival. They gave a lively performance of Ravel's well-loved Tombeau de Couperin.

This charming piece conjures up visions of both courtly and country dancers, with sprightly rhythms based on the Forlane, a popular Venetian dance in the 16th century, Ravel's favourite Menuet and traditional Provencal dance themes.

In contrast, Johann Hummel's Military Septet, based on rousing military themes popular in the early 19th century was played with great verve. The music contains some demanding passages played here with all the confidence expected of this exceptional chamber group, who have to date performed no less than 250 world premieres.