© 2023 West Oxfordshire Winds

West Oxfordshire Winds

 

WOC’s Programme:

Slavonic Dance Op. 46 No. 8   -  Dvorak

 

Adagio (from Piano Concerto)  -  Grieg  

 

Sevillanas (from Suite Española)  - Albéniz

 

Come Fly with Me -  Cahn/van Heusen arr. Whelan

 

 

WOW’s Programme:

River Oaks March  -  D Eveland

 

Still, Still, Still  -  arr. G Sebesky

 

Dixie Doodle Dandy  -  G Rosenkrans

 

Les Misérables  -  Boublil/Schönberg
(Work Song, I Dreamed a Dream, Master of the House, Do You Hear the People Sing?)

After Freeland Orchestra we were treated to performances by the West Oxford Clarinets - a very impressive group of nine clarinets and two bass clarinets. The group made a beautifully homogeneous sound, was well in tune and played some very lively Dvorak (well known 'Slavonic Dance no. 8') with well managed dynamic contrasts and lovely unison middle section, followed by the Adagio of Grieg's Piano concerto and 'Sevillanas' by Albeniz. This featured some very atmospheric Spanish sounding solos from the lead clarinet Julia Middleton. They ended this half of the programme with an energetic rendering of the Sinatra classic 'Come Fly with Me'.  

 

For the second half the stage was taken by a huge wind band, West Oxfordshire Winds (appropriately known as WOW!) The programme started with River Oaks, a rousing march with good tuning in all sections, to be followed by 'Still, Still, Still' - a beautiful piece which I have been informed was originally a Christmas carol. After 'Dixie Doodle Dandy' featuring some reliable steady percussion the programme ended with a selection from Les Miserables which was very enjoyable and received a rapturous reception.Well done all round.

 

(Carolyn King)