Join Sheffield Chamber Orchestra for their Winter Gala Concert.
They'll open with J S Bach’s Passacaglia (a musical form that originated in Spain). Originally an organ piece it has been arranged by conductor Robin McEwan for the orchestra's wind section.
Next, the string section will play the Christmas Concerto by Arcangelo Corelli, which is scored for a ‘concertino’ (i.e. solo violins and cello) with Ripieno strings beloved of this era. Enjoy the dynamic contrast this creates in the alternating fast and slow movements. It was composed to be played on ‘the night of Christmas’ – a lovely way to look forward to the festive season.
Brahms’ Hungarian dances are amongst his most popular works and were his most profitable. The first half of the concert concludes with possibly the best known of them all: No. 5 in G minor.
After the interval the concert will conclude with Brahms’ fourth and final symphony. It links to the first piece as the final movement here is also a Passacaglia – very rare in symphonies. The Symphony has been described as being “like a dark well; the longer we look into it, the more brightly the stars shine back.”
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