THE music of Richard Gordon-Smith should be familiar to Philharmonic concert-goers.
It's even more familiar to those who attend Hotfoot concerts, the annual midsummer festival organised by the Hope Street Association.
But this most recent performance was something even more special, as it was the world premiere of Gordon-Smith's Trade Winds, a masque of Liverpool and the sea and a piece written to celebrate the fact this year has been dubbed Year of the Sea by Liverpool Culture Company.
It's a big piece: 40 minutes long and demanding huge forces - four choirs,, two soloists, a sizeable orchestra and dancers, all conducted by the composer.
What is noticeable about this composer's work is its spontaneity as well as being highly approachable. The orchestral parts were, at times, challenging while the chorus parts were a lot simpler. Just occasionally it sounded slightly hackneyed: Mention the east and the music went noticeably Chinese, for instance. But why not? It worked and seemed highly popular.
The choral singing was, generally, of a high standard, though just occasionally things became a little threadbare. Sometimes, too, the orchestra simply over-powered the singers - in The Northern Merchants, for instance. Special mention must be made of the bright, attractive voice of Sarah Helsby-Hughes and the rich and powerful singing of Tayo Aluko.
The first half of the concert was taken up with a spirited performance of excerpts from Handel's Water Music, as well as a rather ragged performance of Khatchaturian's Spartacus.
The former Spinner Hughie Jones's performances of sea songs was a welcome addition in an event of this nature, for these are not only entertaining but educational. The tragedy of the sinking of the Ellan Vannin, for instance, as well as Shanghai Brown, telling the tale of how tough life really was for those who made their living on the sea.
Audience participation was the order of the day in some of Henry Wood's Sea Songs: Rule Britannia is a guaranteed rabble rouser! But this was a celebration, so why not?
