Review - BSO: Cinamatic joy as orchestra brings to life Williams and Zimmer

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Portsmouth Guildhall Square

Friday night: a proper summery evening, warm, breezy, just right. Picnic chairs aplenty on the square but also the steps, some close to being a tad precarious. A very friendly expectant atmosphere full of families and all generations, together for part of the special Centenary Concert series to celebrate Portsmouth 100 years of having city status with the 70+-strong Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO), expertly and deftly conducted by Peter Harrison, whose relaxed interaction with the audience added another layer to the brilliant musicianship throughout

This show was the Best of (John) Williams (JW) and (Hans) Zimmer (HZ) film scores; in 2025 one of the shows was about John Williams alone, so some of the music was repeated, but nobody cared, it was great to hear them again

A great view on the Civic Offices’ (terraced) steps across the audience through the trees, a great backdrop with the Guildhall splendid in the background to the left

On strode Peter, red jacketed, straight into The Imperial March from Star Wars, the “Darth Vader” tune, supplemented by an LED screen behind the orchestra showing images and clips from the film, really helpful to the audience as I imagine, like me, I knew all the films but certainly would not have known all the musical pieces without that help. The spotlights were red, white and green, changing for every musical piece, not intrusive but adding to the ambience as the orchestra played

As the first half continued, it was like a walkthrough of cinematic royalty with comments in the audience of “do you remember seeing this” and murmurs as the backdrop told what was coming, heightening the expectation

A reflective piece from Lincoln (JW), the rousing Pirates of the Caribbean (HZ), a slow builder for Batman Returns (HZ), so different to the “na na na na na na, BATMAN” from the original TV series, the Harry Potter theme (JW), fully holding the attention of the audience as it built, the very climactic Jaws (JW), building threateningly, seagulls flying away overhead….as if they knew (!), the tubular bell-sounding beginning for the Da Vinci Code (HZ), ending the half with the evocative, sad but inspiring Schindler’s List (JW), such a beautiful ending, to the climax of this half, Gladiator (HZ), also building to finish the half on a real high.   

The evening was getting a bit chillier at this stage, the breeze a bit stronger, but nobody minded, rapt with the music

Second half started with Jurassic Park (JW), so poignant with Sam Neill passing away just a couple of days previous. There was even an appearance of a dinosaur behind the stage, tall and menacing yet amusing at the same time…nice touch.

On we went, Driving Miss Daisy (HZ), a bit different style of music, Pearl Harbour (JW), the swashbuckling sword fight scene from Tin Tin (HZ), a tune I had never heard, beautifully flute-driven, oriental in feel for Memoirs of a Geisha (JW), as the light faded, the lights in the trees giving an ethereal feel, slow then bursting into life for the Last Samurai (HZ) then another lesser known theme with a false ending that caught a lot of the audience out (always amusing), a big climax again, Interstellar (HZ)

To the end, as dark started to descend, the chill factor rising yet not one person left their seats (apart from comfort breaks) as the perfect ending of ET (JW), the fire burners aflame, lighting effects across the Guildhall, spotlights, colourful and bright, to a standing ovation

Of course, one more, from Hook (JW), all red lighting, a rousing finale

A delightful experience, impeccable audience, full of smiles, supported by low-key but effective stewarding by the Guildhall. This was an event, not just a concert. The lighting across the Guildhall columns throughout, a mixture of green, violet, red, orange and other colours, alternating, really worked well. All members of the orchestra were given their moment, superbly conducted by Peter

Peter should have the final word “there is nothing like the sight and sound of a real orchestra”

Yep!!  

Ken Ebbens

The Flash radio presenter