BSO Spirit of England, Portsmouth Guildhall, review: ‘a spiritual echo in time and timeless’

The Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (1910) for string orchestra, is one of Vaughan William's finest works and established his reputation in English music.

The performance started like a shimmering mirage leading to Tallis' 16th century Phrygian theme, which is repeated antiphonally between subsections of the string orchestra, arranged on stage as if to reflect divisions of a church organ, producing recurring echoes as if in a church – a spiritual echo in time and timeless. The concerto work was Elgar's opus 85 in E minor for cello completed in 1919.

Soloist Tim Hugh gave a deeply felt, meditative interpretation well suited to Elgar's final masterpiece. At the heart of the work a moving, intense pianissimo with time seemingly standing still in the wistful melody of the Adagio, especially in its reprise as a backward glance before the assertive finale.

Variations on an Original Theme For Orchestra Enigma Op 36 by Elgar completed the concert, a large scale extrovert work. A masterfully presented Nimrod variation IX played almost as if one long phrase, with wide arching dynamics. The self-portrait finale variation XIV rounded off the evening majestically.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​