CityLife

Hallé Choir and Hallé Children's Choir: Hallé Collection Series

Halle Orchestra And Choirs

Bridgewater Hall

There was another celebration in Manchester on Saturday night – Sir Mark Elder conducting the Hallé in what was effectively its end-of-season spectacular.

He, soloists Rebecca Evans, Sarah Connolly and John Mark Ainsley and the orchestra were joined by the Hallé Choir and Hallé Children’s Choir for Britten’s Spring Symphony in the second half of the Bridgewater Hall concert.

Before that, there was celebratory music by Handel – Concerto A Due Cori no. 2 – and Mozart (Symphony no. 39).

The former saw selected players disposed about the stage in 18th century style and, with Lyn Fletcher leading, making some fairly 18th century sounds.

The double team of wind soloists performed their roles with liveliness if not complete comfort.

The Mozart was given to a relatively large body of strings and first really came alive in its minuet, when clarinettists Lynsey Marsh and James Muirhead gave a delightfully chipper account of its trio section.

With a scurrying tempo and a dash of theatricality in the episodes, the finale kept up the high spirits under Sir Mark’s direction.

The choir, trained by Frances Cooke, and children’s choir, trained by Shirley Court, were the stars of the night and received a great ovation.   Sir Mark knows how to build up a grand finale when it’s needed. Tweet