Worthing Symphony Orchestra’s New Year Concert draws "whoops of delight"

Comprising (not in playing order) . . . Johann Strauss II, Fledermaus Overture. Waltzes: Roses From The South, Wine Women and Song, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Polkas: Czech (Op13), Pleasure Train, Thunder and Lightning. Josef Strauss, Village Swallows from Austria Waltz; Johann Strauss I, Radetsky March.

And . . . Delius, Sleigh Ride; Fučik, Entry of the Gladiators; Schubert, Rosamunde Entr’acte No 2; Delibes, Sylvia Pizzicato Variation; Dvorak, Slavonic Dance No 3; von Suppé, The Beautiful Galatea Overture, Waldteufel, Skaters Waltz.

The British observe this about themselves: in testing times, generally their budgets don’t sacrifice their profoundest live entertainment. The Viennese observe this about themselves: life is desperate, but not serious. Thus the Austrian capital’s most carefree composers annually provide the steadfast British with their seasonal anti-stress unwind and uplift.

John Gibbons’ WSO New Year Concert version explores similar-spirited works of other nationalities placed enrichingly alongside the usual well-trodden Straussian suspects. And in a hark back to Worthing Symphony Orchestra’s pre-war origins as a small municipal palm court or tea room small orchestra, their welcoming New Year band is of friendly, unintimidating size.

Fears were confounded that staging this WSO New Year knees-up a whole week late would transpire to be an arrival after the Lord Mayor’s Show. Last year, this concert fell in a fifth week of rampant Omicron Covid with one in every 15 Englanders infected. Now, a year later, the virus less-feared though flu being resurgent, and a cost-of-living crisis biting, and with orchestral audiences still yet to reach pre-pandemic average, ticket sales doubled at 588.

The Christmas Carols Concert by Worthing Choral Society and Sompting Village PrImary School Choir with Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra drew 627 on December 18.

WSO director Gibbons inserted two juicy trailers of pieces coming up in future WSO concerts, to show the New Year annual regulars further treats available. And he announced the return this month of the WSO’s Schools Concert which gives the live orchestra experience behind closed doors to a full house of children ages 7-11 from state and homeschooling. His expressed imperative for this offering steadily to continue drew concurring audience applause.

On Sunday, the WSO were 34 in number with 19 strings, 7 winds, 2 horns, 3 brass, and – the stars of most New Year Concerts – the adept, busy, multi-tasking, beating and blowing, rattling and jingling, hooting, chirruping and warbling percussionists, Robert Millett and Matt Turner. Gibbons and the WSO men switched from black into their New Year tuxedos, still in bright condition this long after all the festive dinners. The women were allowed into colours and those who did dabbed the stage spectacle with purple, damson, wine, turquoise, orange and two different reds.

The audience clap-along ration remained at one sole item – the Radetsky March, which this time wasn’t saved until late in the day. I say ‘ration’ because just once only appears an outdated conservative, (dare I say repressive?) stance about audience participation at a communal festive event. Perhaps it needs the audience next year to go on strike during the Radetsky, in demanding at least second March to clap to. The powers-that-be have no case if they retort with an increased-productivity request. Why should the percussionists have the longest fun?

In his between-music enlightenment chats to the crowd, Gibbons reminded that the Viennese New Year celebrations were essentially an older Austro-Hungarian Empire celebration and therefore in Prague, Dvorak fell easily within its catchment area. His third Slavonic Dance’s alternating lilt and accented attack fizzed up the taste and closed a first half that in comparison seemed rather like an after-dinner sequence port and chocolates. Dvorak brought yelps of approval from the fans and ensured an interval of welcoming smiles for the spirited Bohemian.

The dictum of Dance, not necessarily Viennese, waved Delibes’ Sylvia ballet pizzicato into the party from the Empire’s French enemy, the sprightly intrusion enhanced by Luke Strevens’ sensual, low Gallic flute solo in the central section. We learned that among the WSO kit were five different clarinets in A C D Bb and Eb arming Ian Scott and Alan Andrews, whose smooth movement with Turner’s warbling flavoured the excursion of Josef Strauss’ Village Swallows from Austria.

This was one of Gibbons’ surprise inclusions, as last year was Suppé’s Isabella Overture – taken up this year by the widely-broadcast traditional New Year Concert from Vienna’s Musikverein. “They’re copying us!” beamed Gibbons with pride. His new closing gesture was to top The Beautiful Blue Danube waltz with The Thunder & Lightning polka. The verdict on that gambit came back in audience whoops of delight.

Richard Amey

Next two WSO concerts (same conductor, venue):

‘I Got Rhythm’, Friday January 27 (7.30): Borodin, Polovtsian Dances; Arnold, Symphony No 4; Gershwin, An American in Paris, I Got Rhythm, Rhapsody in Blue (piano Maria Marchant). Exciting first half, jazzy/bluesy second.

‘Beethoven & Brahms’, Sunday February 26 (2.45): Beethoven, Overture to The Ruins of Athens; Brahms, Piano Concerto No 1 (piano Ian Fountain); Max Reger, The Hermit Fiddler (No 1 of Four Tone Poems after Arnold Böcklein Pictures, Op128; Beethoven Symphony No 8. Ludwig having fun, framing full, heart-churning Johannes and deeply placid Reger.

Next Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra concert (conductor Dominic Grier; Assembly Hall, 3pm): Elgar, Overture Cockaigne (‘In London Town’); Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 2 (piano Berniya Hamie); Walton, Symphony No 1.