Focussed Sound

The Hallé Orchestra and one-time Principal Guest Conductor Cristian Mandeal opened the new concert season at Derby's Assembly Rooms (Derby, UK, 21 October 2011) with a bright, perky account of Schubert's C major Overture 'In the Italian Style'. The orchestra's wonderfully clean, focussed sound (second violins to the right, double basses across the back) enabled lots of engaging detail to emerge, both here and in the final work, Dvorák's Eighth Symphony.

The Dvorák had plenty of vigour and vitality, but Mandeal also indulged his tendency to slam the brakes on too hard at almost every opportunity...