York Guildhall Orchestra
The second concert in their 41st concert season sees the York Guildhall Orchestra perform one of Beethoven’s rarely played overtures.
The lack of attention is most underserved as this is a lovely work fully of happy tunes and rhythms in Beethoven’s inimitable style. It is a commemorative work composed in 1811 with an overture and nine vocal numbers, although only the overture is usually played nowadays. The title refers to King Stephen 1st who founded Hungary in the year 1000.
Rebecca Taylor joins them for Beethoven’s first piano concerto – written some 25 years earlier than King Stephen – is very much in the Classical style, but still with a hint of Beethoven’s ingenuity that was to flower in his later works.
The second half of the concert features a stalwart of the symphonic repertoire, Tchaikovsky’s fifth symphony, one of his most popular works demonstrating his darker side, perhaps ultimate victory through strife!
- Beethoven – Overture to King Stephen
- Beethoven – Piano Concerto No.1: soloist: Rebecca Taylor
- Tchaikovsky – Symphony No.5
- Simon Wright – Conductor
- Fiona Love – Leader