St Thomas’ Anglican Cathedral, Portsmouth, 7 March 2026
“Bach and Beyond”, presented by the Solent Symphony Orchestra, proved an apt title for an evening that began with the dramatic grandeur of Bach before travelling outward into the lush romanticism of Rachmaninov and the vibrant orchestral colour of Britten.
The concert opened with Bach’s well-known Toccata and Fugue in D minor arranged by Peter Lawson. The famous opening immediately filled the cathedral with a powerful and resonant sound. The orchestration allowed the dramatic character of the work to unfold on a grand scale, and the orchestra embraced the music’s bold gestures with confidence. Despite some fiendishly difficult passages in the arrangement, the ensemble was held firmly together throughout under the expert direction of Steve Tanner.
The centrepiece of the first half was Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by Harry Dixon, winner of last year’s Portsmouth Festival of Arts Concerto Award. At just eighteen, Dixon already displays a remarkable combination of technical command and musical maturity.
From the opening moments he established a confident presence at the keyboard, navigating Rachmaninov’s demanding piano writing with impressive assurance. Even against the full orchestral forces, Dixon projected clearly and held his own comfortably.
What struck me most was his approach to the concerto as a collaborative work rather than simply a display of virtuosity. Throughout the performance he showed the instincts of a chamber musician, listening carefully to the orchestra and responding to the musical conversation around him. He also leaned confidently into Rachmaninov’s written tempo markings, which propelled the music forward keeping it vibrant and exciting.
The second movement produced some of the most memorable moments of the evening. Here the concerto becomes almost intimate in character, and Dixon shaped these passages with real poise. The chamber-like dialogue between piano, Carrie Hensel’s flute, and Rob Blanken’s clarinet was particularly striking, the three players weaving their lines together with warmth and sensitivity.
In the final movement, Dixon’s impressive technique was again evident as he navigated the rapid passagework with ease. In what can be a challenging acoustic, he listened carefully to the orchestra, keeping the ensemble tightly together under Tanner’s assured direction. Crucially, even in the most energetic sections, the details of Rachmaninov’s writing were never lost, with the piano’s melodic lines singing clearly above the orchestral texture.
After the interval, the programme returned to Bach with Sleepers Awake, transcribed for symphonic brass. The ensemble produced a beautifully blended sound, with warm tone and carefully shaped phrasing. The chorale resonated particularly well in the hall’s acoustic, with melodic lines passing seamlessly between players and the distinctive tone of each instrument clearly celebrated.
The evening concluded with Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, expertly narrated by Angela Tilby. From the opening bars the orchestra delivered a tour de force of orchestral playing, with virtuosic contributions across the ensemble. Britten’s brilliant orchestration gave each section an opportunity to shine, and the orchestra responded with energy and precision under Tanner’s direction.
Jack Davies
Image: Harry Dixon
