Concert Saturday 16th November 2013 at 19:45

Mathieu Van Bellen. Picture: Ton Stanowicki

Wagner Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Overture (Prelude to Act 1)

Britten Violin Concerto
Soloist Mathieu van Bellen

Wagner Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Act 3 Prelude

Beethoven Symphony No. 7

Beethoven described his seventh symphony as ‘one of my best’, a view shared by audiences who demanded an encore of the second movement on its début performance. Wagner famously described it as ‘the apotheosis of the dance.’ Young Dutch virtuoso Mathieu van Bellen assists us to mark the centenary of the birth of Benjamin Britten with a performance of his violin concerto, which was inspired by Beethoven’s. Here economy of material is illuminated by virtuosic violin writing and scintillating use of orchestral tone colour. The brilliant overture to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg delivers the complete opera in miniature; all the main themes are there. We add the atmospheric preludes to Acts 1 and 3 to launch a season celebrating the 200th anniversary of Wagner’s birth.

Concert Saturday 25th January 2014 at 19:45

Haydn Symphony No. 103 "Drumroll"

Wagner Die Walküre, Act 1
Soloists Janice Watson, John Upperton and Oliver Gibbs

If you think you know Haydn, come and hear Symphony No. 103 (‘The Drumroll’), one of the famous late symphonies composed when Haydn was the toast of London. Symphony No. 103 is one of his most interesting, being packed with originality, pathos and wit. Following this, we are extraordinarily fortunate to be joined by internationally-known singers Janice Watson, John Upperton and Oliver Gibbs to perform Act 1 of Die Walküre, the second part of Wagner’s famous ‘Ring’ cycle. Controversially, some of us think that this is the most enjoyable way of playing Wagner. See what you think!

Janice Watson

John Upperton

Oliver Gibbs

Concert Saturday 22nd March 2014 at 19:45

Shostakovich Symphony No. 6

Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

Shostakovitch’s 6th symphony, conceived in the 1930s, is a very personal work, reflecting not only the suffocating oppression of the Stalinist era but also the resilient spirit of the composer, with the power of the first movement balanced by the defiant and even riotous flair of the following two. Mussorgsky’s famous Pictures at an Exhibition was composed within a single month for piano, and has never slipped from orchestral repertoire since Ravel (among others) arranged it and it is Ravel’s orchestration we will be playing. Listen to the spooky ‘Catacombs’, enjoy the gossip from ‘The Market of Limoges’ and thrill to the grandeur of the final ‘Great Gate of Kiev.’

Concert Saturday 17th May 2014 at 19:45

Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture

Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

Berlioz Four movements from the Dramatic Symphony "Roméo et Juliette"
Introduction, Love Scene, Queen Mab Scherzo, and Romeo Alone and Capulet's Ball

We end our season with three very different works depicting Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Tchaikovsky’s sublime fantasy overture weaves the main themes of the story into twenty minutes of orchestral perfection. In West Side Story, Leonard Bernstein transplants the two doomed lovers to jazzy 1950’s New York. His Symphonic Dances leave the listener breathless as they are shamelessly bombarded with many of the twentieth century’s best tunes, including ‘Maria’, ‘America’ and ‘Cool.’ Berlioz was equally inspired, especially by his wife-to-be’s performance as Shakespeare’s Juliet. His ‘take’ on the work is bursting with harmonic imagination, fervent power, eloquent emotion and frustrated desire.