The Aldworth Philharmonic will make its debut at All Saints Church in Wokingham, this summer. Its concert on Sunday 15th June, at 6pm, features two great romantic symphonies, full of pathos and intensity, but also contrasting moments of pure lyrical repose, giving rise to the concert’s title: ‘Serenity Amid The Storm’.
French composer Louise Farrenc was well known in her lifetime, in the mid-19th century. Her music was admired by contemporary composers such as Hector Berlioz and Robert Schumann, but although their music has subsequently become world famous, Farrenc’s faded into obscurity, until recently, by dint of her gender. Her fiery Third Symphony amply demonstrates the absurdity of this, with its fierce and incisive writing whipping up great dramatic tension.
The fire and brimstone is offset by gentle melodies woven into long, languishing phrases, particularly in the consolatory second movement. The same contrast permeates the other piece in the programme, one that can certainly not be said to have been neglected since its first performance in 1885. A true titan of the repertoire, the Fourth Symphony of German composer, Johannes Brahms, contains some of his darkest, most brooding music. Again, this just heightens the sheer beauty of its quieter moments, including a haunting flute solo in the finale that spans the highest and lowest registers of the instrument, and the solemn trombone chorale that follows shortly after.
As ever, APO’s famous ‘Concert Virgin’ scheme offers free tickets, no questions asked, to anyone who’s never heard a live orchestra perform.
Tickets are £15 for 18+, £10 for under 18s. Members of APO’s free fan club for 5-15 year olds, APO Young, get a special price of just £7.
All can be purchased from the APO website: www.apo.org.uk/next-event.
Also check out other Entertainment events in Wokingham, Music events in Wokingham, Concerts in Wokingham.
