A tale of two concerts
On Friday Janet and I thoroughly enjoyed the BBC Philarmonic Orchestra concert in the Victoria Hall in Hanley. We have season tickets and have sat in the same seats for years. We really are so lucky in this area. The Stoke Festival season brings orchestras such as the BBC, the CBSO and the Halle to Hanley on a regular basis - culture on our doorstep!
The Victoria Hall was, of course, refurbished at considerable expense some years ago and is now an outstanding venue. Sir Malcolm Sargent was heard to say that it was his favourite venue and Sir Adrian Boult reckoned on it having the best accoustics of any hall he’d played. So it was with interest that yesterday Jan and I caught a bus and train to Birmingham to see another recently refurbished concert hall, Birmingham Town Hall. Jan’s nephew James, aged 13, was playing trumpet the National Childrens Orchestra. Wow! What a hall and what a concert!
I don’t know how much has been spent on the renovation but they have created a marvellous hall. This is a far cry from the hall I remember from the 60’s - Chris Barber, Lonnie Donnegan et al!
But it was the orchestra that took my breath away. Over a hundred children playing a full classical venue. James is only 13 and the maximum age was 14 - but on closing your eyes you’d be hard pressed to spot the difference between them and a full time professional orchestra. Seriously, if you ever get the chance to hear them - go!
(And just in case you wondering - public transport turned up trumps again! I’ve already praised the 101 bus and trains to Birmingham before and they didn’t let us down yesterday either! Stafford to Birmingham in 32 minutes for £7.90 return!)
1 Comment
have your say
Richard,Have just read your blog for the first time and find your comments about culture at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, in line with my own feelings. Whilst my wife and I love the symphony concerts, I am equally an enthusiast for the classical organ. Hanley does well in this respect, attracting some world-class recitalists, yet there is no publicity in Stone. I get posters that advertise recitals. Would the town council allow them to be displayed in their poster cabinet on the High Street?
It’s a pity we don’t have a purpose-built facility in Stone for cultural events. It’s a pity, given the direct business connection by the late Michael Harding, that the former Joules building on Newcastle Road could not have been bought and converted to a canalside cultural venue.
I have to concur with your views about the Brushmakers at Oulton. The beer is kept excellently at the correct temperature for ale as against lager. I like unplasticised pubs!
It would have been nice to have had a rail service next December that connected directly with Birmingham and Manchester. So much for good marketing practice whereby providers listen to the requirements of their potential punters and give them what they want. It’s not happened in Stone.
Best wishes,
Barry Oakley