Celestial Symphony

Bax’s Tintagel is a piece deeply entwined with the South West, not just because of the ruined castle which inspired it, but also through its connection to English folklore and mythology and its windswept coasts. Sir Dan conducted the premiere in Bournemouth in 1921 The influence of Mozart is apparent throughout Beethoven’s C major Piano Concerto. The piano’s role ornaments the orchestral material, but the broad artistic expressiveness shows Beethoven’s embrace of the emerging Romantic mood of the day. Vaughan Williams’ Fifth Symphony is one of hope written at a time of raging war. It emerges from a dreamlike stillness. Gradually the orchestra is brought to life through playful dialogue reaching its emotional zenith in the gloriously stirring Romanza, before a series of exuberant variations reach a sudden halt. The music subsides back to its mysterious opening and finally rests in hushed transcendence.