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Shrewsbury  Symphony Orchestra, Summer Concert in The Abbey, June 2022.

A review by Andrew Petch. Picture credit: Andy Bell

Belatedly the music of Louise Farrenc is beginning to find a niche in concert programmes and the recording studios. Born in 1804, at a time when western Europe seethed with an incredible number of musical geniuses, she had to fight for acceptance.  Her fight for equality of opportunity with her male colleagues must gain our respect.  Her first symphony formed the first half  of a fine concert given by the Shrewsbury Symphony Orchestra under their conductor John Moore in Shrewsbury Abbey, while the second half took us to Beethoven’s impression of the countryside, his glorious “Pastoral” Symphony.

Both these works gave the brass and woodwind sections some wonderful moments in the spotlight-and how they relished these chances to shine! The second movement of Farrenc’s symphony was exquisite, capturing the demands of the time in being like an operatic aria; it was premiered at a time when opera was flourishing, especially in Paris. Sandwiched between the glorious second and rumbustious fourth movements, the third was slightly less musically satisfying but the players gave it a full-blooded outing. By comparison, the fourth movement was a tour de force; it wore its heart on its sleeve and had much in common with the music of Mendelssohn.

The “Pastoral” symphony is probably one of the best known, most loved works in the symphonic repertoire-and for good reason. John Moore chose brisk tempi, especially for the opening movement which showed the  orchestra at its best, but the second movement, “Scene by the brook” and the fifth, “Shepherd’s song: cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm” showed Beethoven at his most spiritual, albeit in a slightly gruff fashion! 

This was a lovely concert. It proved we can never hear too much of the wonderful music of Beethoven and it also proves that the music of Louise Farrenc deserves a much wider audience.