Legendary Classics

Legends, mystery and magic abound in our February concert. William Tell was a legendary Swiss folk hero and the Overture to Rossini’s opera paints a musical picture of life in the Swiss Alps, depicting dawn, a storm, a peacefully sublime pastorale and a rollicking march made famous by its use as the theme tune to ‘The Lone Ranger.’ Mendelssohn’s beautiful Violin Concerto was written for his close friend David, whom, it was said, had inherited

some of Paganini’s devilish style in his playing! We are very fortunate indeed to have as our soloist the dynamic and versatile young violinist Braimar Kanneh-Mason, one of a family of incredibly talented and gifted young musicians. Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt is loosely based on a Norwegian fairy tale. Peer is something of an anti-hero who steals a bride, abandons her and goes off on various adventures around the world, including being chased from the Hall 

of the Mountain King by angry trolls but is finally redeemed. Grieg’s Suites taken from his incidental music to the play brilliantly depict the fantasy. In Saint Saens’s Danse Macabre midnight strikes and a personification of death represented by the solo violin summons representatives from all walks of life to dance along to the grave! A tune familiar to many as the theme to Jonathan Creek.

Rossini Overture William Tell

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor

Grieg Peer Gynt Suite No. 1

Saint Saens Danse Macabre