IN JANUARY, the audience at Chipping Sodbury Music Society's concert was taken on a whirlwind world tour by the locally based Wessex Clarinet Quartet.

Clare King, David Mackenzie, Julia Holmes and Simon Parker showed that this unusual grouping of instruments could shine in all types of music.

England was represented by Gordon Jacobs’ Scherzetto Pavane and Gopak played with crisp articulation. Gilbert and Sullivan’s excerpts from The Gondoliers and The Mikado were given rhythmic poise and commendable clarity. French composer Dubois wrote specially for clarinet quartets and his music proved full of Gallic wit. 3 tangos from Argentina by Piazolla enjoyed a highly successful arrangement in which pathos and delicacy were unusually present. Bulgarian Back Bite, an hypnotic piece, showed a strong Eastern influence.

Popular numbers from Kurt Weill’s Threepenny Opera were Germany’s contribution and the decadent nature of the music was well captured. Glasgow born Edward Maguire’s Celtic Knotwork, based on medieval rhythms, was strangely hypnotic. George Gershwin was a natural choice as America’s champion Swinging, foot tapping renderings of Lady be Good and Somebody Loves Me were hugely enjoyed. The final item was from Russia. Rimsky Korsakov’s Dance Of The Tumblers; the peculiarly Slavic nature of the work was beautifully realised.

Rapturous applause at the close was a measure of how successful the concert had been.

The next concert of Chipping Sodbury Music Society’s 66th Season, in the Town Hall at 7.30 pm on 11 February 2014, will be given by the Ardeton Ensemble: Sarah Eales - 1st Violin, Jon Cowell - 2nd Violin, Rachel Clennell – Viola and Dury Loveridge – Cellist. Once again you may recognise the names, as this is a group of musicians who have performed locally for several years, always to huge acclaim.

By Gerry Philp – 4 February 2014