REVIEW – Devizes Arts Festival – Edward Cross Quintet @ Assembly Room  4th June 2024

By Andy Fawthrop

Fine Music In A Fine Room

Today Devizes Arts Festival wheeled out its first classical offering, and chose a particularly fine room in which to showcase this young composer/ musician and his all-female quintet.  I’ve often said how much I admire the Assembly Room in the Town Hall, and I think it’s a perfect fit for this type of concert.

Edward Cross is a Wiltshire based multi‐instrumentalist with a background in composition and production. He studied at Goldsmiths University and has performed in notable venues including Bath Abbey. His dynamic quintet comprised double bass, cello, viola, violin, and trombone, and this ensemble was completed by Edward himself on (mostly) piano and (occasionally) clarinet.

We were treated, over the course of an hour, to several short pieces of neo-classical exploration.  Most of these were subtle, quiet, meandering pieces.  The mood was suppressed and under-stated.  Most, but not all, were composed by Edward himself.  His interactions with the audience consisted mostly of the introductions to each piece, but with only the very minimum of explanation.

The playing was technically good by all the six musicians, but I was longing for them to play something a little more upbeat.  The programme seemed a little flat to me, only using a very limited palette of tempo and texture.  I craved a little more variation, a little more volume. I felt that the quintet were rather under-used, and was left wondering what they might be capable of if given a little more freedom.

Overall –technically enjoyable, but emotionally not very engaging.  It felt like driving a powerful car, but without ever getting up into the higher gears.  Just my opinion of course – the audience clearly enjoyed the session, but I was left wanting rather more.  Which just goes to prove that you can’t please all of the people all of the time!

More information on Edward, and access to his music, is available at www.edwardcross.co.uk/

The Devizes Arts Festival continues until Sunday 16^th June at various venues around the town. 

Tickets can be booked at Devizes Books or online at www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk 

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