East Anglia Chamber Orchestra

Sat 23 September 2017

West Road Concert Hall

Purcell (arr Britten) Chacony in G minor for strings
Mahler (arr Britten) What the wild flowers tell me
Mahler Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Shostakovich Symphony No 9

The East Anglia Chamber Orchestra returns to the West Road Concert Hall with a delightful programme conducted by the talented Toby Purser (ENO Mackerras Conducting Fellow).

The concert opens with two works arranged by Britten, firstly the Chacony in G minor by Purcell that was originally scored for viols and is attractively reworked for string orchestra, and then 'What the wild flowers tell me', one of the songs used by Mahler in his third symphony.

We are joined by the wonderful multi award-winning baritone Julien van Mellaerts who will perform the dramatic and passionate Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer) which were composed and later orchestrated by Mahler following an unhappy love affair. Using his own poetry, Mahler takes us on a journey through grief and despair to acceptance and peace.

The concert concludes with the surprisingly neo-classical Ninth Symphony by Shostakovitch. Written in 1945, the Soviets were expecting a triumphantly bombastic celebration from their Russian Beethoven and the pure and perfect Ninth Symphony was censured for 'ideological weakness'.

Join us for a wonderful evening of song and symphony.

Cost: £20 adults / £18 concessions / £10 under 18s - £10 students (only on the door)