The reed quintet «Arundo5» played to a crowd of around 160 in their Christ Church debut earlier today.
Jessica Tomlinson (bass clarinet), Manon Lewis (oboe), Howard Dann (bassoon), Stuart Eminson (clarinet) and Toby Kelly (saxophone) showcased both their playing and arranging skills with a varied set featuring music by Cole Porter, Isaac Albéniz, Johannes Brahms and Nigel Wood.
I particularly enjoyed the arrangements themselves, as well as the opportunity to hear the arrangers comment on how they had translated each piece for their instruments. This was especially illuminating in the case of Albéniz’s «Sevilla» from the Spanish Suite, transposed by Kelly himself: not only did he capture the Spanish sentimiento, but, I dare say, he enhanced it.
Another stand-out was Nigel Wood’s «Man Mou», also arranged by Kelly. One might have expected such a convoluted piece, with all its lyrical switcheroos, to prove difficult to follow, yet Kelly’s clever arrangement rendered this rather complex work pleasingly easy to track.
My favourite, however, was the Brahms. Arranged by Manon Lewis, the tender «Intermezzo in A major» (Op. 118 No. 2) is a mellifluous and elegantly restrained piece — the polite way to compose when dedicating a work to a friend’s wife.
(Written on May 20)