What's On
RNCM Chamber Orchestra: Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony
with Edward Gardner (conductor)
Friday 29 November 2024, 7.30pm
RNCM Concert Hall
Programme
Franz Schubert arr Anton Webern Deutsche Tänze *
Igor Stravinsky Danses concertantes
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No 8 in F major Op 93
Performers
Edward Gardner, Benjamin Huth * conductors
RNCM Chamber Orchestra
About
The perfect introduction to the world of classical music, this evening of music showcases its diversity, richness, and sheer enjoyment. Dive in and explore these masterpieces with the next generation of musicians.
In 1824, Schubert composed his six German Dances for his student and infatuation, Countess Caroline Esterházy. The music remained hidden in a private collection for nearly 70 years until it resurfaced decades after his death. Upon rediscovery, Universal Edition commissioned Anton Webern to arrange the work for chamber orchestra, resulting in a transformation praised as a ‘miracle of precision, tonal differentiation, and glowingly shaded colours’.
Premiering in 1941 and made into a choreographed ballet in 1944, Stravinsky’s Danses concertantes are full of motion, elegance, and athleticism, and are deliberately short. Why? Well, Stravinsky explained their brevity to a San Francisco Chronicle critic, saying: ‘The attention span of today’s audience is limited, and the present-day composer faces the challenge of condensation.’
Reportedly Stravinsky’s favourite, Beethoven’s spirited Eighth Symphony – nestled between his epic Seventh and Ninth – is filled with rhythmic ferocity and witty ingenuity. From the thrilling start, it captivates and delights with lively tunes and playful musical pranks and jokes, concluding with a boisterous and unconventional 19th century finale.
Photo credit: Robin Clewley
Tickets:
Full Price £18
Student/Under 26 £12
Promoted by RNCM.
This concert will include an interval and will end at approximately 9pm.
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