THERE seems to be a new wave of confidence sweeping its way along Hope Street. For the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, that was summed up in Opening Flourish, the first concert of the all-important 2007-8 season, the first of the two seasons overlapping the Capital of Culture year.
Hesketh’s A Rhyme for the Season was a vibrant work, absolutely bursting with energy and passion. Occasionally contemplative, especially in the middle section, the verve with which the RLPO was instantly imbued by conductor Vassily Petrenko set the scene for what was an exciting overture to the season.
17 September 2007
Liverpool Daily Post
Glyn Mon Hughes
Kenneth Hesketh's A Rhyme for the Season is a short, snappy overture that catches the anticipatory mood of Merseyside. A showpiece for an orchestra that is clearly on a roll, it is virtuoso stuff, full of whip-crack rhythms and vertiginous instrumental writing, and the dexterity and panache of the performance served as a reminder of how Petrenko has transformed the RLPO since he became principal conductor last year.
17 September 2007
The Guardian
Tim Ashley