Heroes and Villains: A Family Concert by the Hull Philharmonic Orchestra – Live Review – Hull City Hall
By Karl Hornsey, November 2024
The Hull Philharmonic Orchestra began their latest highly anticipated series with a special family concert, based on the theme of Heroes and Villains, at Hull City Hall. At its heart, this is a wonderful idea, bringing together so much local talent and showcasing what they can do, while encouraging children or those who might not ordinarily be interested in classical music to sample it for themselves, live in the concert hall.
Under the baton of Simon Chalk and Elaine King, the selection of pieces was enhanced by a giant screen hanging high above the stage, showing animated slides to add storylines and, in some case, extra poignancy to the music. The concert opened with two pieces by Aaron Copland – Fanfare for the Common Man, followed Billy the Kid (Ballet Suite). The former will need little introduction to anyone with a passing interest in the genre, but it was great to hear the latter as well, offering as it does a snapshot of life in the Wild West and of American folk songs, and a time when ‘heroes and villains’ very much came to the fore.
Poppies by local composer Sam Mavor, present in the audience to see and hear his piece being performed, was a wonderfully moving addition to the schedule, especially at a time of year when remembrance becomes such a key theme in people’s lives. Mavor is clearly a composer to watch and it must have been wonderful for him to be present for such a poignant rendition. Finally, to conclude the first half, more local talent was introduced, with the choir of Hymers College providing the backing for John Williams’ Hymn to the Fallen, from the soundtrack to Saving Private Ryan.
“Instantly recognisable”
Mirroring the start of the first half, the opening piece after the interval was Joan Tower’s powerful Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, offered up as a ‘tribute to women who take risks and are adventurous’. This was followed by one of the afternoon’s centrepieces, Wojciech Kilar’s Dracula, from the 1992 film by Francis Ford Coppola, which was a quite inspired choice. A villain by nature, Dracula is one of those iconic characters that has also taken on heroic tendencies in the eyes of some, and continues to be worshipped to this day, long after Bram Stoker brought him to life.
That was followed by a major change of tone, as the Wild West returned in the guise of a Moment for Morricone, featuring music from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and Once Upon a Time in the West. Iconic films and instantly recognisable scores. Again, the lines of heroes and villains are blurred with some of the characters in those films, but there could be no doubt for the final piece, returning to John Williams, this time with the Superman March to round off a thoroughly entertaining concert and one that will hopefully have helped to inspire a new generation to get involved in classical music.
