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Gala Concert: Elgar Symphony No.2, works by Ian Venables and John Ireland

Worcester Cathedral

Part of the Elgar Festival 2025

Add to my Calendar 31-05-2025 19:30 31-05-2025 21:30 36 Gala Concert: Elgar Symphony No.2, works by Ian Venables and John Ireland Since its inception in 2018, the annual Elgar Festival has grown from a weekend to a 9-day celebration of the life and music of Worcester’s most famous son and Britain’s great composer, Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934), and held at a number of integral venues of both historic interest and personal significance to the composer including Worcester Cathedral and Guildhall, St George’s RC Church and Great Malvern Priory. Written between the two Wars, Ireland’s These Things Shall be is a powerful expression of humanistic and enlightenment values, a faith in the agency of individuals and a pacifist worldview. Ian Venables’ song cycle explores themes of love and sexuality through the poetry of the 19th and early 20th centuries. “Although the cycle’s underlying narrative portrays the love of man for man, I wanted to end the work with a celebration of the universality of love and especially the deep love that is found in a long-lasting relationship. This is a love that transcends sexual categories and is at the heart of a humane world where gay people no longer need to hide in ‘the shadows.’ Elgar’s Second Symphony is one of his most powerful and personal works, a musical portrait of a man and a civilisation standing at a turning point in history. Tickets are on sale now. See website for full details. Worcester Cathedral, Worcester DD/MM/YYYY

Details


8 College Yard
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR1 2LA
England

Tickets

Programme

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Performers

– Conductor
 – baritone


Other concerts in this Series (+)

Programme Note

Since its inception in 2018, the annual Elgar Festival has grown from a weekend to a 9-day celebration of the life and music of Worcester’s most famous son and Britain’s great composer, Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934), and held at a number of integral venues of both historic interest and personal significance to the composer including Worcester Cathedral and Guildhall, St George’s RC Church and Great Malvern Priory.

Written between the two Wars, Ireland’s These Things Shall be is a powerful expression of humanistic and enlightenment values, a faith in the agency of individuals and a pacifist worldview.

Ian Venables’ song cycle explores themes of love and sexuality through the poetry of the 19th and early 20th centuries. “Although the cycle’s underlying narrative portrays the love of man for man, I wanted to end the work with a celebration of the universality of love and especially the deep love that is found in a long-lasting relationship. This is a love that transcends sexual categories and is at the heart of a humane world where gay people no longer need to hide in ‘the shadows.’

Elgar’s Second Symphony is one of his most powerful and personal works, a musical portrait of a man and a civilisation standing at a turning point in history.

Tickets are on sale now. See website for full details.

English Symphony Orchestra performing at the Elgar Festival, Worcester Cathedral (photo, Michael Whitefoot)

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