Celebrating 40 years of West Forest Sinfonia, An afternoon concert of romantic masterpieces

An afternoon of romantic delights, our concert starts with Strauss' dazzling tone poem Don Juan, written in 1888 when the composer was on only twenty fou. Inspired by a version of the Don Juan legend by the Austrian poet Nikolais Lena's, the work traces the adventure, passions and eventual disillusionment of its restless hero. The music bursts into life with one of the most thrilling openings in the orchestral repertoire before moving through episodes of romance, longing and high drama. Our soloist then joins us for Struass' elegant oboe concerto, composed near the end of the composer's long life. In contrast to the extravagant orchestral forces of our owning piece, the concerto is scored for a relatively modest ensemble and looks back to the grace and balance of the Classical era. The solo part demands exceptional control and lyricism, weaving almost continuously through the orchestra in music that is both virtuosic and conversational. We conclude with Rachmaninov's richly romantic Second Symphony composed in 1906-7 and widely regarded as one of the composer's great achievements alongside the piano concertos. Across the four expansive movements, Rachmaninov combines sweeping melodies, sumptuous orchestration and emotional intensity on a grand scale. From the darkly atmospheric opening to the famous slow movement with its unforgettable clarinet melody and exuberant finale, the symphony unfolds as a journey from uncertainty to affirmation.


Category: Arts | Performing Arts | Music

Prices:
General Admission: GBP 20.00,
Under 18 and Student: GBP 5.00

Artists: Phillip Ellis, Ewan Millar