Archive

Here are some programmes, recordings and videos of our performances. In addition, a complete list of every piece we have performed since 1960 is on the repertoire page in a sortable table.

Many of the sound recordings in this archive were recorded by students on the Tonmeister course at the University of Surrey.

Concert Saturday 17th May 2014 at 19:45

Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

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

Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture

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.

Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette

Bernstein: West Side Story

Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliette

Concert Saturday 22nd March 2014 at 19:45

Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

Shostakovich Symphony No. 6

Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

Shostakovich’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 25th January 2014 at 19:45

Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

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 16th November 2013 at 19:45

Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

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 prelude to Act 3 to launch a season celebrating the 200th anniversary of Wagner’s birth.

Concert Saturday 18th May 2013 at 19:45

Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

Piotr Tchaikovsky

Shostakovich Festive Overture

Khachaturian Violin concerto
Soloist Bernard Brook

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique)

The final concert of our season opens with the brilliant Festive Overture, a vivacious musical firework. Khachaturian's concerto is a magnificent whirlwind of powerful emotions and unbridled energy. The Pathétique is a complex mixture of emotions – sorrow, hope, and happiness tinged with a foreboding of despair – a mixture that has ensured its enduring popular appeal.

Concert Saturday 16th March 2013 at 19:45

Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

Anton Bruckner

Bruckner Symphony No. 8

The Eighth Symphony is a monumental work, full of the composer’s characteristic ‘trade marks’ but taking them further than ever before: a mysterious opening, dramatic climaxes and contrasts, a lively dancing scherzo, a heartfelt slow movement – he believed it was his best one – and finally a very powerful finale which brings it all together in a glorious blaze of triumph.

Allegro moderato

Scherzo. Allegro moderato - Trio, langsam

Adagio. Feierlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend

Finale. Fierlich, nicht schnell

Concert Saturday 26th January 2013 at 19:45

Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

Antonin Dvořák

Suk Fairy Tales

Mahler Rückert Lieder
Baritone Laurence Meikle

Dvořák Symphony No. 7

Suk’s Fairy Tale is a colourful suite of four movements drawn from music he wrote for a theatre piece. Mahler’s set of five songs, based on poems by Friedrich Rückert, share a mood of intimacy and quiet withdrawal. The Seventh Symphony, dramatic and darkly passionate and expressing the defiance of the underdog, is perhaps Dvořák’s greatest.

Concert Saturday 17th November 2012 at 7:45pm

Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

Concert dedicated to the memory of Malcolm Smith

Sir Edward Elgar

Bax ‘Tintagel’

Elgar Cello concerto
Soloist Jamie Walton

Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 2 (London)

Bax’s best known work paints a vivid picture of the Cornish castle of Tintagel, battered by the Atlantic on a sunny day. Elgar’s wonderful concerto, contemplative and elegiac, has become a much loved cornerstone of the cello repertoire. The symphony depicts various London scenes, including the Westminster chimes, hansom cabs, street sellers’ cries, and the moods and tempos of our capital city.

Bax: Tintagel (Note: Closed captions are available by clicking "CC")

Elgar - Cello Concerto

Vaughan Williams

Summer Workshop - Sunday 10th June 2012

Langley Park School for Boys, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

Hans Rott

Our Summer Workshop is an occasion when the orchestra spends a day rehearsing an interesting work then gives an early evening informal performance which audiences may attend at no charge, although a collection is made to help cover our costs. The rehearsal is open to non-member players (who should apply beforehand) and spectators, including (silent) children.

The work to be studied this year is the Symphony in E by Hans Rott, a composer few people have encountered. He was a brilliant fellow student with Mahler, but sadly went mad and died at the age of 25. Mahler greatly admired this symphony, and his own symphonies, the first of which was written 8 years after Rott’s, show very strong influences. Anyone who appreciates Mahler’s music will enjoy this.

11:00 – 12.00 Strings only rehearsal

12:00 – 13:00 Full orchestra rehearsal

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch (Please bring your own picnic lunch - weather permitting, lunch can be eaten outside)

14.00 – 15.30 Rehearsal

15.30 – 16.00 Break

16.00 – 17.30 Rehearsal

17.30 – 18:00 Break

18:00 – 18.15 Introductory talk to audience with possible extracts

18.15 – 19.15 Performance

Concert Saturday 19th May 2012 at 7:45pm

Langley Park School for Boys, South Eden Park Road, Beckenham BR3 3BP

Johannes Brahms

Rossini Overture ‘William Tell’

Walton Two pieces from ‘Henry V’

Strauss Horn Concerto No. 2
Soloist Richard Watkins

Massenet Méditation from Thaïs
Soloist Bernard Brook

Brahms Symphony No. 4

Rossini’s overture is very well known, not least for its galloping finale which became the ‘Lone Ranger’ theme music. Music for strings from Walton’s ‘Henry V’ film music calms things down. Strauss’s love for the horn shines though all his orchestral works, and particularly in this late concerto which needs a real virtuoso soloist. We conclude our season with this wonderful symphony, which has been a mainstay of the orchestral repertoire ever since it was written.

Rossini: Overture ‘William Tell’
Introduction