A Far Cry

The chamber orchestra A Far Cry is an ensemble composed of soloists. The musicians regard themselves as a collective and play without a conductor; in addition, in truly democratic manner, the leader of the orchestra changes from work to work, and the remaining players also take turns to lead their respective sections. The orchestra’s particular way of making music was quite audibly marked by each and every player’s high sense of responsibility towards the group as a whole, by musical unanimity, and by the great atmosphere clearly reigning amongst them. From the very beginning one could feel the flow of energy, which in its turn had a very beneficial effect on the atmosphere in the Festspielhaus.

The fact that the young musicians played the entire program standing was symptomatic of their modern understanding of what music is all about. The resulting freedom of movement – both physical and mental – was clearly audible in their interpretations, as was their sheer vitality.

source