'Across the Pond' Our summer programme explores the musical connections between 20th century New York and Paris.  Leonard Bernstein felt that Voltaire’s novella Candide, a satire on the hypocrisy of 18th century French society, found parallels in American society [...]

Our Spring programme has an operatic theme, opening with the Prelude to Wagner’s only comic opera, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.  The Prelude introduces us to the noble Hans Sachs and the guild of master-singers, romantic Walther who [...]

We are delighted to welcome Maxim Calver (2018 BBC Young Musician finalist) for a performance of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1.  Written for the composer’s friend, Rostropovich, it is one of the most significant and [...]

The Piano Concerto in A minor was Grieg’s only large-scale orchestral work, but is so well known and loved as to need no introduction and remains one of the most popular piano concertos ever written.  We [...]

Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Festival Overture features tunes based on Russian Orthodox chants, and the mood ranges from solemnity to exuberant celebration.  The Firebird is one of Stravinsky’s early ballets, retelling an ancient Russian folk tale in which we meet [...]

‘Winter Wonderland’ Bath Symphony Orchestra presents a programme of winter themed music for all the family.  Drawing from fairy tale operas, ballet and film music we will present music portraying, amongst others, a wicked witch [...]

Our Czech programme opens with the fourth of Smetana’s cycle of patriotic tone poems, Má Vlast. From Bohemia’s Forests and Meadows conjures up the feelings inspired by the Czech landscape, from the grandeur of great [...]

Our programme explores the expression of contrasting moods. En Saga was Sibelius’ first major tone poem. In spite of its title (‘A Story’) it is an abstract piece depicting the feelings inspired by the Finnish [...]