This Bristol Beacon concert by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, along with that of the previous night on their home ground at the Lighthouse in Poole, signalled the beginning of Mark Wigglesworth’s tenure as chief conductor. As their principal guest conductor since 2021, Wigglesworth has already been able to reap the benefits of the BSO’s notable progress under the Ukrainian Kirill Karabits, but programming Walton’s First Symphony was a typically strong statement of intent.
The evening opened with Wagner’s overture to Die Meistersinger, a choice that also felt like code for an embracing of the fundamental principle of music being sung from the heart. The warmth of the orchestral sound together with the expansive melodic lines made this an auspicious start.
