USHER HALL
EDINBURGH
Miranda Heggie
****
Encapsulating highlights of instrumental and choral music of the twentieth century, Edinburgh Royal Choral Union's production of William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast was spectacular. The concert opened with two orchestral pieces played by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The first, Grey Galloway by John Blackwood McEwan, is the the second and best known of Three Border Ballads. The sounds produced ranged form dramatic, explosive notes from the brass section to elegantly lilting melodies on the oboe, which were played with a beautifully clear tone.

It was followed by Walton's Symphony No 1, in which the talents of conductor Rumon Gamba really shone through as he pulled and shaped the orchestra to perfection. The opening sounds of the third movement seemed to come out of nothing, with an alluring and haunting flute solo sailing above the strings.

The real magic, however, lay in the second half, during which the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union was joined by the Belfast Philharmonic Choir and singers from the National Youth Choir of Scotland. They formed an immense chorus to accompany baritone soloist James Rutherford. The orchestra was still very much on form, creating tension with eerie sounds from the percussion section bubbling underneath the brass. Rutherford's rich, yet light, voice was echoed by the chorus, who intercepted one another seamlessly and with immaculate clarity under Gamba's animated conducting. The huge orchestra and chorus worked perfectly together and with a real sense of excitement to deliver a performance that evoked the whole spectrum of human emotion, from terror to pure exultation.