FRIDAYS@ 7!
Friday 28th September – 7.00pm
St Peters Methodist Church, Canterbury
Programme to include
Mozart – Divertimento KV251
Zipoli – Adagio for Oboe, Cello and Strings
Nielsen – Suite for Strings
Grieg – Holberg Suite
Herschel – Oboe Concerto in C
Start your weekend with the Festival Chamber Orchestra’s Fridays@7 concert, performed in the beautiful acoustics of St Peter’s Methodist Church, Canterbury, on Friday 28th September, starting at 7.00pm.
As always the orchestra will perform an innovative programme, this time exploring oboe and string music through the music of Mozart, Zipoli, Nielsen, Grieg and Herschel.
The FCO, conducted by Anthony Halstead and led by Jeremy Ovenden, open the early evening concert with Mozart’s Divertimento KV251, a celebratory piece probably written for Mozart’s sister’s birthday, followed by Zipoli’s baroque music hit ‘Elevazione’ (Adagio of Oboe, Cello and Strings) with Ian Crowther on oboe and Julia Vohralik on cello . This is a beautiful and emotive piece and has appeared on countless classical compilations and is often used at weddings.
The FCO also perform an early romantic composition from Carl Nielsen, his Suite for Strings. Deriving in style from Schumann, and very pleasing to listen to, this is currently one of Nielsen’s most widely performed works. An early precursor to neo-classicism is Edvard Greig’s delightful and charming, Holberg Suite, composed in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the humanist playwright Ludvig Holberg. A fine example of a piece of nineteenth century music, which makes use of musical styles and forms from the preceding century. To finish the evening, an oboe concerto from the father of modern astronomy, Sir William Herschel. For nearly 30 years, prior to his fame as an astronomer, Herschel was a resourceful and respected professional musician. This little known piece was premiered by the FCO, with Ian Crowther on oboe, at the Turner Contemporary in Margate last August and was enjoyed by both audience and orchestra. Herschel’s Oboe Concerto in C is an arresting, innovative work, the product of a superb analytic mind driven by an obsession for order and coherence.
Relax and enjoy the start of your weekend with an irresistible cascade of classical chamber music that will flow through your mind long after the players have finished.