Trianon Music Group, Going for Gold: 50 Not Out! Ipswich Corn Exchange, Saturday, January 10 This concert, quite rightly, was an evening of celebration to mark the beginning of Trianon's 50th Anniversary year.

Trianon Music Group, Going for Gold: 50 Not Out! Ipswich Corn Exchange, Saturday, January 10

This concert, quite rightly, was an evening of celebration to mark the beginning of Trianon's 50th Anniversary year.

After a shaky start, with an insecure performance of William Walton's Coronation March: Orb and Sceptre, the orchestra continued in much better form with Rhythm from Eric Coates Four Centuries Suite, Lehar's Gold and Silver Waltz and Explosions Polka, Opus 43 by Strauss II. Although well played the pieces lacked vitality which, I suspect, was due to the rather sedate tempos.

In between the instrumental works the choir, in good voice, sang six pieces mostly unaccompanied, but my personal favourite was the Mike Sammes lilting arrangement of the Kerry Dance, with Andrew Burke at the piano.

Julie Roberts is always a delight and she did not disappoint with “Czardas” from Die Fledermaus, by Strauss II, sensitively accompanied by the orchestra. However, rather than on the floor in front of the orchestra Julie would have been seen and heard to better advantage on the stage, as was demonstrated in her second song I Want to be a Prima Donna by Victor Herbert.

As the earlier mentioned Explosions ended as the choir let off party poppers which seemed to be a wake-up call to the orchestra and the combined groups went into the Part One Finale with an excellent and lively account of Gershwin in Concert arranged by Mac Huff and orchestrated by Burke.

Trianon always produce good explanatory programme notes, compiled by its members, this time coupled with entertaining tongue-in-cheek headings referring the group's history.

More offerings from the choir included three birthday madrigals, part of a choral work written by Trianon's president, John Rutter, two popular songs, Cole Porter's Lets Do It and Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma.

In honour of the occasion two new works were commissioned for this concert. Overture - 50 Not Out, written by Matthew Curtis, was a cheerful work reminiscent of Brahms Academic Festival Overture with an attractive slow middle section with a beautifully played oboe solo.

Golden Year by Andrew Burke, described as A Fistful of Hits, was written for choir and orchestra and was a collection of 10 songs - each title taken from the letters of GOLDEN YEAR. They were cleverly and skilfully woven together except for a sticky link towards the end (but whether that was due to the composer or an orchestral fluff - who knows when it is a World Premiere?).

No mention so far of Professor Christopher Green OBE, artistic director and conductor who guided Trianon throughout. Chris's greatest achievement must be the way he has nurtured Trianon from its inception, through the past 50 years and brought it to the amazing institution it is today. But, Chris isn't it time that you divulged the secret of the other two anonymous names who coined the name of Trianon, so that they can take a share in the credit?

Many Happy Returns.

Judith Newman