Rush Hour 2: Folksongs in Counterpoint

Folk music: where stories, traditions, and voices come together.

In this programme, familiar melodies are reimagined by three composers who found beauty and meaning in everyday songs.

Britten’s work weaves the charm of traditional melodies into colourful, inventive orchestral writing. It’s music that feels both timeless and distinctly personal.

Florence Price’s Folksongs draws on the rich heritage of African American folk tradition, blending heartfelt lyricism with graceful orchestral textures that speak of resilience and shared memory.

The journey concludes with Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite. Weaving fleeting and animated dances with musical evocations of America’s vast landscapes, this work, featuring the beloved ‘Simple Gifts’ theme, represents hope and spirit.