WINDSOR FESTIVAL: Eton Boys' Concert

It is humbling when children surpass their elders in skill and understanding. It is frightening when they do so with apparent ease, writes Bryce Martin.

A diverse Eton Boys' Concert given in the School Hall, Eton College as part of the Windsor Festival on Thursday night left me filled with admiration at the colours and textures produced by such unassuming young musicians and singers who, dressed in their tails and bow tie uniform, looked as though they had walked straight out of a classroom lesson.

Sensuous, vivid Poulenc first in the shape of his Sextet for Piano and Wind Quintet with the Vicky Burgess coached Ben-Sau Lau a real presence on the keyboard.

Then Giacomo Puccini from a stunning string quartet comprising Samual Sereda, and Daryl Cheng (violins), Benjamin van Nieuwenhuizen (viola ) and George Cooke (cello). Their Cristanemi, a piece written in one night on the news of the death of Duke Amadeo of Savoy, balanced faltering emotion and resolution with astonishing maturity.

An adventurous instrumental section concluded with the Brass Quintet No1 Op

5 by little know Russian Victor Edwald, who in professional life was a civil engineer.

The tuba, which Edwald played and played exuberantly by Frederick Alliot, figures prominently and it was heartening to hear all that brassy mellifluence which has been restricted these days to post-industrial and military bands.

The concert finished with glorious choral works from the College Chapel Choir whose members included the entire brass quintet.

Poulenc, who wrote a lot of sacred music for a 20th century composer, featured again with his unaccompanied Salve Regina heavenly trebles, altos, tenors and basses. Debussy followed, the liquid harmonies of Footsteps in the Snow before the evening closed with a modern communion piece, O Salutaris Hostia, written in 1954 by Pierre Villette. Director Ralph Allwood had his 50-strong choir on a string.