SAVE THE DATE: Sudbury Symphony Orchestra is delighted to announce that their next concert will be on Sunday 26th November in Lavenham Church at the slightly later than normal time of 6:30 pm. The orchestra had hoped to be in St Peter’s, Sudbury for this concert but the over-running works there mean that it was not ready for us in time for this concert. But we will be in the beautifully renovated St Peter's for a triumphany return for our Spring concert. In the meantime we can soak up the lovely acoustics and ambience of Lavenham Church - winter woolies and a cushion recommended for a totally immersive experience.
The two principal works for the evening are Schumann’s Piano Concerto with Jill Morton as soloist and Beethoven’s wonderful 6th Symphony, the Pastoral. We start the evening with Schubert’s very jolly Overture in the Italian Style in C, written when Schubert was just 20 years old. He wrote this and another overture in the style of Rossini who he much admired and who was very popular at the time. And when you hear it you will agree – it is very Rossini in style.
Schumann’s Piano Concerto had its premiere in 1845 with his wife, Clara, as soloist. This concerto has become one of the most widely performed and recorded piano concerto from this period. The concerto starts with a grand flourish with some wonderful melodies repeated throughout the orchestra and the piano. After a graceful middle section the concerto moves into a its buoyant last movement full of dance like themes before ending in a jubilant and exhilarating finale. It’s a lovely work which played on a magnificent Steinway grand piano in Lavenham Church will sound absolutely fantastic.
Our soloist for the piano concerto is Jill Morton who has played with many times and it is always a delight for both us and the audience when she returns to us. She has performed in all the major concert halls throughout Britain and has been heard on BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night as soloist with the BBC Concert Orchestra. She will certainly do the Schumann justice!
Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, the Pastoral, is a wonderfully original work which includes bird calls (a nightingale, a quail and a cuckoo) which, it has to be said, put the fear of god into the soloists. We also have peasant musicians falling asleep (so the story goes) somehow portrayed in the music with great sophistication followed by the famous storm with everyone playing full pelt. This is probably the hardest music to play for a double bass player in the whole orchestra repertoire so please listen out for them. The storm passes and the music gives thanks. This is a joyful piece with beautiful tunes that you will be humming for weeks to come.
So – a wonderful evening of music in store, do come and enjoy.
Tickets: Adult £15, Child £2
Available now from Ticketsource and in paper form from Peddars (Market Hill, Sudbury), Sudbury Tourist Information (Town Hall) and the Guildhall Lavenham. Or email info@sudburysymphonyorchestra.com. A limited number of tickets will be available on the door.