The opening Mozart Fantasy in F minor suffered most from this lack of empathy, things took time to settle down with occasional lapses of ensemble and a rather careful approach in the performing style. This caution carried over into the ensuing Reicha Wind Quintet. It is not top-drawer music; it’s pleasant to listen to but it needs stronger advocacy than the decorous Galliards gave it. The concert came to life with twentieth century Irving Fine’s bracing Partita that followed. The performance had all the energy, character and expressivity that had been so lacking earlier. Would that Mozart and Reicha had been given similar treatment, the latter especially needed to be ‘sold’ more effectively.

To give relief from the ensemble sound there were two solo items. Stuart King gave a spirited performance of Stravinski’s Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet, catching the jazzy inflections of the third one superbly and after the interval Kathryn Thomas played Debussy’s Syrinx for solo flute with appropriate cool elegance.

The second half of the concert illustrated the difficulty facing such groups of devising a balanced programme. The wind repertoire is quite extensive; there are few masterpieces but many works in lighter vein. These can be delightful but too much focus on them can bring tedium. The Françaix chic First Wind Quintet is just too long for its material and despite the virtuosic performance it received it outstayed its welcome. Jim Parker’s Mississippi Five was briefer and the Galliards entered into the jazz spirit evoked by the music with élan to bring a rather mixed bag of an evening to an enjoyable finish.

G.K