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Details
The Great Hall - Reading University
27 London Rd
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 5AG
England
Programme
Bohuslav Martinů – The Frescoes of Piero Della Francesca
Richard Strauss – Four Last Songs
~ Interval ~
Gustav Mahler – Symphony no.4 in G major
Performers
Philip Ellis – Conductor
April Fredrick – soprano
West Forest Sinfonia
Other concerts in this Series (+)
Programme Note
WFS gives its first concert of 2025 on Sunday 23rd February at 4.30pm.
The concert takes place at The Great Hall, Reading University and will be directed by Philip Ellis, WFS Principal Conductor.
Frescoes of Piero della Francesca is a 1955 symphonic triptych by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů Inspired by the "Leggenda della Vera Croce" (The Legend of the True Cross) frescoes of the Italian Renaissance painter Piero della Francesca, the work is known for its layers of orchestral colour and imaginative use of texture and harmony. The piece evokes the grandeur and spirituality of the frescoes by blending Martinu's unique modernist style with a deep sense of reverence for the past.
The Four Last Songs for soprano and orchestra, was composed by Richard Strauss in 1948 shortly before his death the following year. The four songs "Frühling" (Spring), "September," "Beim Schlafengehen" (Going to Sleep), and "Im Abendrot" (At Sunset) are widely considered some of the most beautiful and poignant works in the soprano repertoire. Demonstrating Strauss's mastery of the late Romantic style, the songs exude a sense of calm acceptance.
Mahler's Symphony No. 4. Known for his epic symphonies which rely on massive orchestral forces, Mahler's fourth symphony is perhaps a more accessible and classical example of his vision. Certainly the structure is classical. However, the final movement, where a soprano soloist evokes a child's vision of heaven, based on a poem from the collection "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" (The Boy's Magic Horn) is anything but conventional.
