MOZART BY CANDLELIGHT

The Locrian Ensemble at the Civic Theatre

26.09.10

Much is done these days to encourage young people to listen to classical music. But what of their grandparents, who'd like to hear the theme from Horse of the Year Show and Brain of Britain, who remember songs from the Music Hall.

Step forward the Locrian Ensemble, with their ever-popular Mozart by Candlelight. Fronted by the genial Justin Pearson, in wigs and frock coats, they played Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Pachelbel's Canon, A Musical Joke and the Divertimento.

More of a rarity was an arrangement of Mozart's Antiphon written as an entrance exam for the Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna.

Two outstanding soloists this time out – Anthony Pike on basset clarinet for the Quintet, and the amazing Stacey Watton playing the opening of Bottesini's demanding concerto for Double Bass.

Mozart would have been surprised, not by the frequent applause, the chatter, the laughter, the chink of glasses from the bar in the second half, but by a woman leading the ensemble – the excellent Rita Manning.

Surprised but delighted, no doubt. As he would have been by the encores – Almaviva's lost aria If You Knew Susanna, and Wolfgang's touching tribute to Leopold, My Old Man …