Concert

Eccentric English composer, Ethel Smyth, wrote her opera The Wreckers after a visit to the Isles of Scilly.  It is a tale of love, violence and betrayal and the overture depicts the sea in all its moods as a metaphor for the powerful emotions portrayed. We are delighted to welcome Charlie Lovell-Jones as soloist in Benjamin Britten’s Violin Concerto.  It was written in 1939, while the composer was in the USA and combines virtuostic brilliance with elegiac lyricism.  The mournful character reflects Britten’s sense of looming catastrophe, as the world spiralled into war. Elgar’s Symphony No. 2 was dedicated to [...]

Given the title ‘Choral Symphony’ by Rachmaninov, The Bells is a setting of a Russian translation of a poem by Edgar Allan Poe.  Bell sounds held a lifelong intense spiritual and cultural significance for Rachmaninov, along with his other obsession, liturgical chanting – in particular, the Dies Irae. Here, the four movements follow the course of life from birth to death, the bells being associated with a sleigh ride, a wedding, alarm calls and a funeral. From its premiere, Rachmaninov’s 2nd Symphony was, and remains, a triumphant and popular success.  Full of glorious melodies and colourful orchestration, the mood ranges [...]

We are delighted to welcome Henrietta Cooke as our soloist in the enchanting Martinů Oboe Concerto.  Written in 1955, it brings together a wide variety of influences, from Czech folk music to neo-classical Stravinsky with some jazzy syncopations also in the mix.  Accompanied by a small orchestra including a piano, the solo line alternates passages of virtuostic brilliance with moments of lyrical tenderness. It was with his 6th Symphony that Dvořák first achieved international recognition and it is not hard to see why.  A stream of captivating melodies flows through all four movements, ranging from the expressive and elegant to [...]