The Bermuda Festival -- I Fiamminghi -- Rudolf Werthen (Conductor) -- Otto Derolez (Concermaster) -- France Springuel (Cello) -- The City Hall Theatre on January 26, 27, 28, at 8.00 p.m.

*** I Fiamminghi was the Italian name given to those itinerant musicians who brought their art to Court and Chapel during the Renaissance. The present group was founded in 1977 as a chamber ensemble, and expanded to a classically sized 40 member orchestra in 1992.

For this first visit to Bermuda, the reduced orchestra of 16 players was conducted by the elegant and engaging Rudolf Werthen, whose introductory remarks were much appreciated throughout the evening.

I Fiamminghi specialise in music of the 19th and 20th centuries -- not the usual diet of the chamber orchestra whose thrust tends to be Baroque and Classical. However in this day and age, with large symphony orchestras capable of a greater variety of styles suffering the constraints of economic pressure, it may well be that small orchestras will have to rethink, reorganise and rescore works in order to extend the musical experience of the listening public. This appears to be the credo of The Orchestra of Flanders. With technical mastery and refinement the essence of their playing, they are a breath of fresh air.

Obviously one of the functions of an orchestra with an uncompromising interest in music of the 20th Century is to promote new works. The evening began with a performance of Trisagion by Estonian composer Arvo Part. Written in 1992, this was played with beautifully controlled dynamics, but with it sombre introspective all pervading gloom, it seemed contrived and it was melodically stark.

The platform brightened considerably with a work on the lighter side by Belgian film composer Dirk Brosse entitled `For France and Strings'.

A winner in The International Tchaikowsky Competition, France Springuel, wife of conductor Rudolf Werthen, is a very lyrical player with a warm mellow sound. Relaxed and poised, this was a very stylish performance.

One of the towering giants of this century is undoubtedly Dmitri Shostakovich.

His Eighth String Quartet was written in Dresden in 1960 and dedicated to `The victims of fascism and war'. The orchestral arrangement by the composer himself, is known as `The Chamber Symphony for String Orchestra'. Himself a victim of political oppression -- as a creative artist he suffered in Russia under various restrictive communist regimes -- he seemed to identify with human vulnerability and human suffering. His portrayal in musical terms of the horrors of the Second World War is searing in its intensity. I Fiamminghi gave an electrifying performance of this powerful and evocative masterpiece.

After the intermission, France Springuel made a welcome return as soloist in the very beautiful `Kol Nidrei' by Max Bruch. Composed in 1881, the title refers to a prayer associated with the Annual Jewish Day Of Atonement.

The programme ended with a sparkling and poetic account of Tchaikowsky's Serenade In C major'.

I Fiamminghi, with upper strings on their feet throughout the evening, seemed indefatigable in their pursuit of excellence. They seem to achieve the impossible, consistently perfect ensemble playing without blemish...and such colour! Before leaving, a delighted audience enjoyed two encores `Zortzico' by Piet Swerts and one of Bartok's Rumanian Dances.

Marjorie Pettit CONDUCTOR -- Rudolf Werthen THREATRE REVIEW THR REV