English Symphony Orchestra and April Fredrick perform Mahler, Strauss and Schubert: The ESO offer their first foray into the symphonies of Gustav Mahler in partnership with the charismatic and virtuosic soprano, April Fredrick (ESO Artist-in-Affiliation) at Huntingdon Hall, Worcester on Saturday 10th February 2018

Please note: This concert is in the past and has already taken place.

English Symphony Orchestra and April Fredrick perform Mahler, Strauss and Schubert

The ESO offer their first foray into the symphonies of Gustav Mahler in partnership with the charismatic and virtuosic soprano, April Fredrick (ESO Artist-in-Affiliation)

Part of the English Symphony Orchestra 2017-18 Season

Add to my Calendar 10-02-2018 19:30 10-02-2018 21:30 36 English Symphony Orchestra and April Fredrick perform Mahler, Strauss and Schubert The English Symphony Orchestra, hailed as the International Orchestra of Elgar Country, continue their popular series of concerts as Orchestra-in-Residence for Worcester Live with a concert on the 10th of February which includes the rarely heard version of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony for chamber ensemble. “We listen carefully to our audiences about what they want to hear more of, and one unanimous response to last year’s concerts seemed to be that our audience really loved April Fredrick’s gala concert in Huntingdon Hall this time last year and wanted to hear more of her,” says the ESO’s Artistic Director, Kenneth Woods, who will conduct the 10th February concert. “April and I have performed the Mahler together before, and she sings it so beautifully that I knew a performance in Huntingdon Hall would be a highlight of the year.” Gustav Mahler is a composer often associated with very long works written for huge forces. His most famous work may be his Eighth Symphony, the so-called Symphony of a Thousand, but for this concert, Woods and the ESO are presenting Mahler at his most personal. “Mahler’s Fourth Symphony is his most intimate, most personal work,” says Woods, “but this version for a very small chamber ensemble of solo virtuosi, makes the experience of the music even more immediate. Mahler’s friend and protégé Erwin Stein made this arrangement of the Fourth Symphony so that that the piece could be heard and studied in an age before recordings in a really intimate way. Huntingdon Hall’s cosy atmosphere and wonderful acoustic make it the perfect place in which to appreciate the piece.” April Fredrick was appointed Affiliate Artist of the ESO in 2017 following her triumph with the orchestra in the title role of John Joubert’s opera Jane Eyre, a performance hailed as the 2016 Premiere of the Year in Classical Music Magazine and Recording of the Year in MusicWeb International. Her recording of Philip Sawyers’ Songs of Loss and Regret with the ESO was also a Gramophone Magazine Critics’ Choice winner for 2017. “April has a particularly lovely voice,” says Woods, “but what really endears her to audiences is her warm and her communicative gift. She brings the music to life in a very moving way.” This concert marks the first time that Woods, who also serves as Artistic Director of the Colorado MahlerFest, will conduct a Mahler symphony with the ESO. “Mahler’s music is special to me, and I think any performance of a Mahler symphony should be a special occasion. I’ve wanted to wait until the time was right for us to tackle this music, and I’m so excited we’re finally doing so, especially with April, who makes every concert she sings in a memorable event.” Mahler’s Fourth Symphony is a work which abounds in evocation of memories of nature and childhood, and so Woods has invited April Fredrick to join the orchestra for a set of romantic songs on the first half of the concert by Schubert, Mahler and Humperdinck which explore similar themes. The concert opens with Johan Strauss Jr.’s beloved Emperor Waltz, also arranged for chamber ensemble. Huntingdon Hall, Worcester DD/MM/YYYY

Details

Huntingdon Hall
Crowngate
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR1 3LD
England

Saturday 10th February 2018
7:30 PM

Programme

Engelbert Humperdinck – Hansel and Gretel: Der kleine Sandmann
Johann Strauss II (the Younger) – Emperor Waltz (arr. Schoenberg)
Gustav Mahler – Symphony no.4 in G major (chamber version arr. Stein)
Franz Schubert – Der Tod und das Mädchen, D.531
Gustav Mahler – Des Knaben Wunderhorn: 12, Das irdische Leben
Franz Schubert – Die Forelle, D.550

Performers

April Fredrick – soprano
Kenneth Woods – Conductor

English Symphony Orchestra

Other concerts in this Series (+)

Programme Note

The English Symphony Orchestra, hailed as the International Orchestra of Elgar Country, continue their popular series of concerts as Orchestra-in-Residence for Worcester Live with a concert on the 10th of February which includes the rarely heard version of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony for chamber ensemble.

“We listen carefully to our audiences about what they want to hear more of, and one unanimous response to last year’s concerts seemed to be that our audience really loved April Fredrick’s gala concert in Huntingdon Hall this time last year and wanted to hear more of her,” says the ESO’s Artistic Director, Kenneth Woods, who will conduct the 10th February concert. “April and I have performed the Mahler together before, and she sings it so beautifully that I knew a performance in Huntingdon Hall would be a highlight of the year.”

Gustav Mahler is a composer often associated with very long works written for huge forces. His most famous work may be his Eighth Symphony, the so-called Symphony of a Thousand, but for this concert, Woods and the ESO are presenting Mahler at his most personal. “Mahler’s Fourth Symphony is his most intimate, most personal work,” says Woods, “but this version for a very small chamber ensemble of solo virtuosi, makes the experience of the music even more immediate. Mahler’s friend and protégé Erwin Stein made this arrangement of the Fourth Symphony so that that the piece could be heard and studied in an age before recordings in a really intimate way. Huntingdon Hall’s cosy atmosphere and wonderful acoustic make it the perfect place in which to appreciate the piece.”

April Fredrick was appointed Affiliate Artist of the ESO in 2017 following her triumph with the orchestra in the title role of John Joubert’s opera Jane Eyre, a performance hailed as the 2016 Premiere of the Year in Classical Music Magazine and Recording of the Year in MusicWeb International. Her recording of Philip Sawyers’ Songs of Loss and Regret with the ESO was also a Gramophone Magazine Critics’ Choice winner for 2017. “April has a particularly lovely voice,” says Woods, “but what really endears her to audiences is her warm and her communicative gift. She brings the music to life in a very moving way.”

This concert marks the first time that Woods, who also serves as Artistic Director of the Colorado MahlerFest, will conduct a Mahler symphony with the ESO. “Mahler’s music is special to me, and I think any performance of a Mahler symphony should be a special occasion. I’ve wanted to wait until the time was right for us to tackle this music, and I’m so excited we’re finally doing so, especially with April, who makes every concert she sings in a memorable event.”

Mahler’s Fourth Symphony is a work which abounds in evocation of memories of nature and childhood, and so Woods has invited April Fredrick to join the orchestra for a set of romantic songs on the first half of the concert by Schubert, Mahler and Humperdinck which explore similar themes. The concert opens with Johan Strauss Jr.’s beloved Emperor Waltz, also arranged for chamber ensemble.

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