MUSIC REVIEW: MUMS Symphony Orchestra's Festive Concert - Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, Mancehester.

 


Manchester University Music Society (MUMS for short) performed their last concert of the year yesterday at their home inside The Martin Harris Centre a part of Manchester University's sprawling central complex. 

Calling it a 'festive concert' however was something of a misnomer. Three full orchestral works were performed, none of which had anything to do with Christmas or the festive season at all! Not that truly mattered since we were totally immersed in the wonderful music in any case!

Starting with Aram Katchaturian's Spartacus Suite No 2 (who's first movement is the famous 'adagio') we were transported to a mid-20th century Russia with ease and skill. Following this and we stayed with Russia but going back in time only by a couple of decades to listen to Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto no 4. Again, a striking and fantastic piece of music composition. Late Romanticism and early 20th Century music is my absolute favourite musical period, and so I was in my element here. The piano soloist was Marek Bakota, whose technical ability is beyond reproach but this evening at least, he seemed to be somewhat distant from the piece and unable to emote with the music banging the keys rather than caressing them. Very strange. His solo encore, a more gentle and lyrical piece was performed full of emotion and passion however, and so it is obvious he is capable of doing so. 

The concert finished with a jerk into the more recent 20th century and a journey over to the USA to hear Aaron Copland's 'Four Dance Episodes' from 'Rodeo'. The American country and folk rhythms and tunes sounding slightly strange after so much deeply passionate Russianisms.

The orchestra sounded excellent throughout, but it was very interesting to0 watch how they responded to differing student conductors who took the podium to conduct movements as they went along. There were a couple of times where the rhythms went a little awry and the conductors were not in control, but I am sure they knew that themselves in any case, and this was a superb learning curve for them all. 

A truly superb concert, played by students who all have both talent and dedication to their craft and provided us with a wonderful soundscape of some of the best sounds of 20th century composition. Bravissimi!

Reviewer - Alastair Zyggu
on - 11.12.25 

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