Classical concert reviews by Mike Wheeler

Derby Concert Orchestra, Darwin Suite, Assembly Rooms, Derby

THIS concert was designed as a showcase/prize for cellist Tim Lowe, the winner of Derby Arts Festival's Centenary soloists' competition.

A pity he chose the less interesting of Haydn's two cello concertos; the one in D. Nevertheless, he gave a fine account of the solo part; his tone was rich but clear and his intonation faultless, particularly in double stopped passages and he had a good command of line and phrasing, particularly in the second movement. Even with a reduced DCO, this was still a performance in big-band style, which needed more lightness and buoyancy.

The evening opened with an account of Brahms' Tragic Overture that was solid and stoic rather than fiery and passionate.

Dvorak's 6th Symphony, after the interval, was on a different level altogether. In the first movement we were swept along by the sheer vitality of the playing, the second managed a leisurely feel without being unduly slow, while the dance rhythms in the third movement were beautifully springy. Brass occasionally swamped the rest of the orchestra but, overall, this was an exhilarating performance.

Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Assembly Rooms

MUCH as I admire Liszt, on the whole, I readily concede that Mazeppa is not one of his finest quarter-hours. Similarly, however effective Khachaturian's Spartacus may be in the theatre, it doesn't really stand up to the scrutiny of a concert performance.

But, while there may not have been much in the way of musical substance here, there was still the playing of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra to admire. It had both energy and precision and a fine command of orchestral colour.

The crisp definition of the unison string figure at the start of the Liszt was admirable, as was their readiness to take Spartacus by the scruff of the neck and play it flat out when required (which is about the only thing you can do with most of the numbers).

I haven't yet mentioned Freddy Kempf's performance of Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto, though. This was the highlight of the evening – a rather soft-grained reading overall, with the emphasis more on crispness and elegance than sheer weight but no less enjoyable for that. Kempf's playing was marked as much by its delicacy as its athleticism and there were moments, from both soloist and orchestra that opened up veins of wistfulness amid the plentiful high spirits.

Derby Chamber Music: Watahiki Quartet, Tim Abel and Matthew Moss, Multi-Faith Centre, Derby University,

DERBY Chamber Music's contribution to the Vaughan Williams anniversary was a programme built round settings of AE Housman, with On Wenlock Edge performed alongside works by Gurney, Butterworth, and contemporary composer Ian Venables.

There were some problems of balance in Gurney's Ludlow and Teme, with the piano tending to dominate and an occasional slight lack of polish but things settled down to produce an accomplished performance.

In his early 20s, Matthew Moss is already a highly promising singer, with sensitivity, good diction and reserves of power when needed. His subtle change of tone for the second verse of Butterworth's Loveliest of Trees was particularly impressive.

Venables' Songs of Eternity and Sorrow makes a musical language rooted in the tradition represented by the evening's other composers sound startlingly modern – a major talent we should hear more of.

Before the interval, the Watahiki Quartet brought complete conviction to their performance of the teenage John Ireland's Quartet no 1. A thoroughly assured and polished work, it got a performance full of springy energy and lyrical poise.

The performance of On Wenlock Edge itself was one of the most eloquent I can remember, completely inside the changing moods, from the turbulence of the opening song, to the numbed grief at the heart of Breedon Hill.