Stroud Valleys Music Club

LYNNE Plummer from Cardiff played the double bass in several large orchestras, so on October 28, we were interested in discovering the answer to her talk’s title ‘Who Needs a Conductor Anyway?’

Thanks to some personal interviews with some world class conductors that she had recorded, and her own experiences in the orchestral ranks she was able to tell us just how important the conductor can be.

This was backed up by a wide selection of stunning performances – often recorded live rather than in a studio – which illustrated clearly how a conductor can draw the best out of an orchestra.

The music ranged from the familiar classics to pieces old and new from little-known composers.

Clearly, the conductor is much more than an arm-waver and timekeeper with his back to the audience!

At our next meeting on November 11, we are pleased to welcome local musicologist and biographer Lionel Carley to give us a musical portrait of Grieg.