Review: Insight Ensemble, Underground Classical

First impressions mean a lot to me and on arrival, seeing the performance space I was instantly excited and intrigued to see what was to unfold.

Insight Ensemble founded in 2015 as a string Orchestra, brought their instruments and beautifully symphonic sounds to a dusty underground tunnel which was originally a part of Bristol Temple Meads, it was a performance space that smelt/felt/looked, forgotten and unwanted.

I liked the environment that was flying around the tunnel when I was waiting for the performance to start. Even though it was jam packed and smelt like old beer and dusty furniture, you really got a feeling that the audience were happy, anticipating what was so come. After a quick, witty (and obligatory) safety chat from one of the stage hands, we were away.

Now, this performance wasn’t about the usual sit down and listen. It had a new, fresh vibe which gave the audience a choice to roam, sit, stand in a corner and listen.

The dark tunnel had a very gloomy atmosphere about it but it all changed once the first soloist started playing on his French Horn. Dim lighting showed us a small stage where the musician stood and played confidently, starting the evening off with a slow, eerie melody that didn’t last long.

Musicians were dotted throughout the tunnel, which was broken into three areas all including small stages, the middle area was where the main Orchestra was situated. Having no help from any amplifiers or speakers, the tunnels acoustics carried the melodies beautifully from space to space.

Well known pieces were played from ‘Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 5: Adagietto’ to ‘Charles Ives- The Unanswered Question’ and also included self-written Material from Liam Taylor West- Composer/Violinist within the group.

As I stood in the dark, listening to the call and response from one instrument to the other, the element that stood out the most was enthusiasm and passion that the musician brought to the space. As I was watching this performance unfold- I could see that this orchestral group performing were having the time of their lives.

The music throughout was played well and confidently. Nothing is perfect and there were some tuning problems here and there, but nothing major. Each musician had their place, there was a wide variety of instruments from the Harp to the Marimba that filled the space wonderfully. Knowing that I didn’t have to see the musicians play- I found my spot, stayed and listened with my eyes closed for a lot of the time.

Overall the performance lasted for around an hour- ending the evening on a high with a fantastic rendition of Edward Grieg’s ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’. Leaving the tunnel I was filled with joy and felt incredibly immersed within the performance. I’m looking forward to seeing more of what Insight Ensemble have hiding up their sleeves.