Archive

These pages contain programmes and recordings of most of our recent performances. In addition, a list of every piece we have performed since 1960 is on the repertoire page and a history of the orchestra is on the about page.

Many of the sound recordings in this archive were recorded by students on the Tonmeister course at the University of Surrey, for which we are very grateful. Note that explicit approval is required for any photography or recordings, since we must have the consent of everyone involved and pay any extra fees incurred.

Click the programme covers to download the complete programme in PDF format. You can use a browser plugin such as Video & Audio Downloader to download audio and video recordings (start playing the recording to make it appear in the list).

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Composition Competition

Composing with quillOur composition competition has now ended and the winner is:

Europa by Marco Muilwijk

This work will be performed as part of our May 2019 concert.

We are very grateful to our adjudicator Paul Patterson for the many hours he donated to this project.

The orchestra members voted for Bacchanal by Florence Anna Maunders and we will perform this in March 2020. Proem by John Senter will be performed in our November 2019 concert.

We received more than 30 entries, thank you! We are very grateful for the considerable time and effort that went into preparing each of them.

The other shortlisted finalists were:

  • Bromleag by Robert Ely
  • Kent Invicta by Philip Steel

The rehearsal recordings made of each of the finalist’s works are below.

Europa by Marco Muilwijk

Bacchanal by Florence Anna Maunders

Proem by John Senter

Bromleag by Robert Ely

Kent Invicta by Philip Steel

Saturday 19th May 2018 at 19:45

Programme May 2018PlanetsBernstein Overture ‘Candide’ 

Roy Harris Symphony No 3

Holst Suite ‘The Planets’ 

Following Bernstein’s scintillatingly offbeat overture to Candide, we present an underrated masterpiece, Harris’ magnificently energetic, occasionally brooding yet always glorious (single-movement) Third Symphony. We follow this with the mercurial Holst’s self-described ‘mood pictures’ – his Herculean tour de force, The Planets.

Bernstein Overture ‘Candide’

Roy Harris Symphony No 3

Holst Suite ‘The Planets’

Saturday 10th Mar 2018 at 19:45

Programme Mar 2018Anna-Liisa Bezrodny

Smetana Overture: ‘The Bartered Bride’ Speaker symbol

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Speaker symbol
    Soloist Anna-Liisa Bezrodny

Shostakovich Symphony No. 15 Speaker symbol

Smetana’s Bartered Bride overture is sheer orchestral effervescence – with a Slavic twist. Tchaikovsky’s eloquent violin concerto features prizewinning violinist Anna-Liisa Bezrodny on her Amati violin. The second half consists of one of Shostakovich’s quirky masterpieces, his 15th symphony. Side-swiped excerpts from William Tell in the first movement, evocative violin and cello solos and ghostly brass chorales in the second, plus a sardonic scherzo, are superseded by a finale echoing some of the most stirring moments from Wagner’s Ring and a sense of utter completion.

Saturday 27th Jan 2018 at 19:45

Programme Jan 2018Caroline MarwoodNielsen Symphony No.3 Speaker symbol
    Soloists Nicola Ihnatowicz and Oskar McCarthy 

Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto Speaker symbol
    Soloist Caroline Marwood

Strauss Suite from ‘Der Rosenkavalier’ Speaker symbol

Nielsen’s 3rd Symphony (the ‘Espansiva’) is light and joyous – not ‘typical’ Nielsen at all. Its famous slow movement, which Nielsen himself described as a ‘landscape Andante,’ uses offstage solo voices to marvellous effect. Vaughan Williams then provides a virtuoso showpiece for principal oboist Caroline Marwood. A folk music-inspired pastorale is followed by a delicate minuet, while the finale is almost a perpetuum mobile – interrupted by some stunningly lyrical passages.  The Rosenkavalier suite excerpts moments of Strauss’ greatest masterpiece, including the ‘Presentation of the Rose’ scene, and the most richly textured of the opera’s several waltzes. It concludes with the powerful trio for the Marschallin, Octavian and Sophie – and by the languorous final duet. Not to be missed!

Saturday 11th Nov 2017 at 19:45

Programme Nov 2017DancerCatherine BornerMárquez Danzón No.2 Speaker symbol

Casals arr Brown ‘Song of the Birds’ Speaker symbol
    Soloist Alice McVeigh

Debussy ‘Ibéria’ from ‘Images’ Speaker symbol

De Falla ‘Nights in the Garden of Spain’ Speaker symbol
    Soloist Catherine Borner

Ravel ‘Boléro’ Speaker symbol

Sexy, sassy and Latin American, Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 is followed by a Spanish folk miniature for solo cello and orchestra. Then we get into the meat of the concert. Debussy’s ‘Ibéria’ – impressionistic and evocative – reminds us of his comment: ‘Music is as boundless as the elements, the wind, the sky, the sea… ’ De Falla himself acknowledged Debussy’s achievement: ‘the intoxicating spell of Andalusian nights, the joyous strains of guitars and bandurrias, whirls in the air!’ De Falla’s own Nights in the Gardens of Spain follows (‘the most tragic and sorrowful of his works, expressing an intimate and passionate drama.’) Catherine Borner’s piano solos are woven within a flamboyant orchestral texture. We conclude with Ravel’s iconic Boléro – by far his most famous work.(At its premiere, a woman furiously objected that Ravel must be mad. Ravel’s comment? ‘She has understood the piece!’) A barn-storming finale!

A good quality video of this concert exists (all 5 pieces, no announcements, 74 minutes approx), recorded in high definition using three cameras and edited by Chris Beston. DVDs (standard definition, £8) and Blu-ray discs (high definition, £12) are for sale in the foyer on concert days or can be ordered through our contact page.

Márquez – Danzón No.2

Casals – Song of the Birds

Debussy – Ibéria

De Falla – Nights in the Garden of Spain

Ravel – Boléro

Saturday 20th May 2017 at 19:45

Programme May 2017Robert BurtonDukas: ‘La Péri’, Fanfare et Poème dansé Speaker symbol

Debussy: Rapsodie pour orchestre et saxophone Speaker symbol
Soloist Robert Burton

Brahms: Symphony No. 2, Op. 73

Dukas suggested that his La Péri should evoke ‘translucent, dazzling enamel’ with hints of Persia. Debussy’s Spanish-inspired Rhapsody for saxophone and orchestra is followed by Brahms’ radiantly sunny, transcendently lyrical Second Symphony. See you there!

Saturday 18th March 2017 at 19:45

Programme Mar 2017Janice Watson John Upperton

Schumann: Symphony No. 2, Op. 61 Speaker symbol

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde Speaker symbol
    Soloists Janice Watson and John Upperton 

Schumann’s affirmatory Second Symphony precedes Mahler’s orient-inspired masterpiece, in which international artists Janice Watson and John Upperton take us on a journey from heroic energy through autumnal lament to a gloriously existential farewell.

Saturday 21st January 2017 at 19:45

Programme Jan 2017Masa Tayama

Ireland: A London Overture Speaker symbol

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 30 Speaker symbol
    Soloist Masa Tayama

Bliss: A Colour Symphony Speaker symbol

Ireland’s vibrant London Overture is coupled with Rachmaninov’s rhapsodic and virtuosic Third Piano Concerto, starring Masa Tayama. Arthur Bliss’ exuberantly dashing ‘Colour’ symphony – one of the great British masterpieces of the 20th century – spins its magic in the second half.

Saturday 12th November 2016 at 19:45

Programme Nov 2016Elizabeth Scorah

Berlioz: Overture ‘King Lear’ Op. 4 Speaker symbol

Debussy: Danse sacrée et Danse profane Speaker symbol
    Harp soloist Elizabeth Scorah

Ravel: ‘Daphnis et Chloé’ Ballet Speaker symbol

Our French first concert opens with Berlioz’ mercurial and richly programmatic King Lear. Harpist Elizabeth Scorah features in Debussy’s dreamily evocative Danse sacrée et Danse profane, followed by Ravel’s masterpiece of which he wrote: ‘Sumptuous and subtle, I have created the Greece of my dreams.’

Saturday 21st May 2016 at 19:45

Programme May 2016Prokofiev

Prokofiev Symphony No. 7 in C# minor, Op. 131 Speaker symbol

Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto in A-flat major Speaker symbol

    Soloist Martin Bunce

Borodin In the Steppes of Central Asia Speaker symbol

Tchaikovsky ‘1812’ Overture, Op. 49 Speaker symbol

The final concert of this season features four short classics. In the first half, Prokofiev’s seventh symphony is teamed with Arutiunian’s dashing trumpet concerto – featuring our own trumpet principal, Martin Bunce. Afterwards, Borodin’s pint-sized tone poem ‘In the Steppes of Central Asia’ is followed by the careering fire, stirring drums and wild cannon of Tchaikovsky’s ‘1812’ Overture. See you there!