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Made in America
Tue 24 Feb 2009 Symphony Hall
Many composers have left Europe to find a new home in the USA, and both in Bartók’s wartime Concerto for Orchestra • composed for the virtuosi of the Boston Symphony Orchestra • and Dvorˇák’s most popular concerto, composed in New York, you can hear elements of each composer’s old world as well as the new. John Adams’ riotous orchestral showpiece seems more authentically American, though it was a by-product of his celebrated opera Nixon in China, and imagines Madam Mao reliving her music-hall past.
Andris Nelsons - conductor Alban Gerhardt - cello City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Adams: The Chairman Dances (24 Feb) 12’ Dvorák: Cello Concerto in B minor 40’ Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra 35’
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Tom Paxton
Tue 24 Feb 2009 Town Hall
Tom Paxton's songs are known and loved around the world: _The Last Thing On My Mind_, _Ramblin Boy_, and _Bottle Of Wine_, just a few of his truly timeless works. His generosity to both audiences and fellow musicians is renowned, and his passion for justice and the ties that bind people together is unwavering: for all this and more, Tom Paxton ranks as one of the most revered musicians of his generation. "_I think we are all born singing Tom Paxton songs_" *Nanci Griffith* "_Tom's songs are fine songs in anyone's book_" *Uncut*
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Made in America
Wed 25 Feb 2009 Symphony Hall
Many composers have left Europe to find a new home in the USA, and both in Bartók’s wartime Concerto for Orchestra • composed for the virtuosi of the Boston Symphony Orchestra • and Dvorˇák’s most popular concerto, composed in New York, you can hear elements of each composer’s old world as well as the new. John Adams’ riotous orchestral showpiece seems more authentically American, though it was a by-product of his celebrated opera Nixon in China, and imagines Madam Mao reliving her music-hall past.
Andris Nelsons - conductor Alban Gerhardt - cello City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Brahms: Three Hungarian Dances 12’ Dvorák: Cello Concerto in B minor 40’ Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra 35’
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Errol Brown The Farewell Tour, plus guests
Thu 26 Feb 2009 Symphony Hall
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Ultimate Romantics 2: Gurrelieder
Fri 27 Feb 2009 Symphony Hall
In the second of our ‘Ultimate Romantics’ concerts, the high-voltage combination of Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra unleash one of the ultimate and most gorgeous of all romantic experiences. Schoenberg’s lavish _Gurrelieder_ is the epic and upernatural tale of King Waldemar and his love for Tove, resident of castle Gurre. From the sumptuous love music of the opening to the fantastical Wild Hunt of spectres, this thrilling, kaleidoscopic score never lets the listener go. This is the only performance of this unmissable event outside london: we promise that you will love it! *BBC Music magazine’s Editor, Oliver Condy, explains why he has recommended tonight’s concert:* _"Before Schoenberg experimented with the atonal composing system that has given him a certain reputation among audiences, he wrote several highly romantic, lush works including Gurrelieder. Think Wagner, Mahler and a hint of Bruckner and you get the idea. It’s one of the most OTT works of the 20th century - and wonderful for it!”_ "BBC Music Magazine":http://www.bbcmusicmagazine.com *6.15pm pre-concert talk* Tickets £5-£37.50
*Philharmonia Orchestra* *Esa-Pekka Salonen* conductor *Ladies of the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus* *Men of the Philharmonia Voices* *Soile Isokosk* _Tove_ *Monica Groop* _Waldtaube_ *Stig Andersen* _Waldemar_ *Andreas Conrad*_ Klaus-Narr_ *Ralf Lukas*_Bauer_ *Barbara Sukowa*_Speaker_
*Schoenberg* Gurrelieder 100’
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Central England Ensemble 'Town Hall Connections' Sibelius, Downes & Dvorak
Sun 1 Mar 2009 Town Hall
Central England Ensemble presents three popular composers with strong links to Birmingham Town Hall: Dvorak conducted two of his world premieres here, The Spectre’s Bride (1885) and his Requiem (1897); Sibelius directed the British premiere of his Symphony no 4 here in 1912; Andrew Downes’ connections with the hall began as a chorister (with the CBSO under Harold Gray) and a counter-tenor soloist in the 1960s/70s, continued throughout the 1970s/80s with many performances of his Fanfare for a Ceremony at the Town Hall Open University ceremonies, and are confirmed in this concert with the world premiere of his Piano Concerto.
*Central England Ensemble* *Anna Downes* Leader *Duncan Honeybourne* Piano *Anthony Bradbury* Conductor *Sibelius* Finlandia *Downes* Concerto for Piano and Symphony Orchestra (world premiere performance) *Dvorak* New World Symphony
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Viennese Masters with Mackerras
Wed 4 Mar 2009 Symphony Hall
Still leading a vigorous musical life well into his eighties, Sir Charles Mackerras is a living legend, and in tonight’s programme he brings his wealth of experience to three of his favourite composers. Our first contribution to the Haydn bicentenary celebrations comes in the smiling form of one of the composer’s ‘Paris’ symphonies, while a distinguished pianist joins Sir Charles for one of Mozart’s most delectable piano concertos. Beethoven’s energetic Seventh completes a splendidly cheerful programme.
Sir Charles Mackerras- conductor Imogen Cooper - piano City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Haydn: Symphony No. 85 (La Reine) 21’ Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 K.482 33’ Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 36’
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Celebrity Piano Recital: Peter Donohoe
Thu 5 Mar 2009 Town Hall
Peter Donohoe’s performances are a dazzling fusion of passion, virtuosity and intellectual rigour. His recital ranges from the majesty of Bach to the superhuman demands of Liszt’s B minor Sonata. Before that come magical works by Brahms reflecting the mature wisdom of the composer’s old age and the untamed ardour of his youth. *BBC music magazine’s editor, Oliver Condy, explains why he has recommended tonight’s concert:* _"The indefatigable Peter Donohoe launches into a brave programme here - Busoni’s technically astounding transcription of one of Bach’s great organ works sits next to Liszt’s greatest piece for the piano - the colossal Sonata. And as Donohoe is one of the most skilled musicians in this repertoire, the evening’s music-making should be full of plenty of memorable pyrotechnics…” "BBC Music Magazine":http://www.bbcmusicmagazine.com *6.15pm pre-concert talk* Tickets £5-£20
*Brahms* Six Pieces, Op 118 20’ *Brahms* Sonata No 3 in F minor, Op 5 28’ *Bach-Busoni* Toccata, Adagio and Fugue, BWV564 15’ *Liszt* Sonata in B minor 27’
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BCMG The Series 2008/09
Thu 5 Mar 2009 Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre
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Centre Stage CBSO Players
Fri 6 Mar 2009 Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre
CBSO Players Schubert: String Quartet in G, D.887
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Viennese Masters with Mackerras
Sat 7 Mar 2009 Symphony Hall
Still leading a vigorous musical life well into his eighties, Sir Charles Mackerras is a living legend, and in tonight’s programme he brings his wealth of experience to three of his favourite composers. Our first contribution to the Haydn bicentenary celebrations comes in the smiling form of one of the composer’s ‘Paris’ symphonies, while a distinguished pianist joins Sir Charles for one of Mozart’s most delectable piano concertos. Beethoven’s energetic Seventh completes a splendidly cheerful programme.
Sir Charles Mackerras- conductor Imogen Cooper - piano City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Haydn: Symphony No. 85 (La Reine) 21’ Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 K.482 33’ Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 36’
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Fairport Convention Winter Tour 2009 plus special guest
Sat 7 Mar 2009 Town Hall
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Notelets - Hands on Notelets
Sun 8 Mar 2009 Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre
An opportunity to join in and work with the CBSO's musicians in specially created one-hour workshops for pre-school children, designed to harness their creativity! Please note: all children must be accompanied. Ticket prices: £4 each/£13 group of 4 (children & accompanying adults)
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Notelets - Hands On Notelets
Sun 8 Mar 2009 Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre
An opportunity to join in and work with the CBSO's musicians in specially created one-hour workshops for pre-school children, designed to harness their creativity! Please note: all children must be accompanied. Ticket prices: £4 each/£13 group of 4 (children & accompanying adults)
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Brahms: German Requiem English Concert Singers, Chorus & Orchestra
Sun 8 Mar 2009 Town Hall
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Centre Stage A Pepys Portrait
Sun 8 Mar 2009 Book through our ticket office for CBSO Centre
A Pepys Portrait on period instruments CBSO Baroque Ensemble & Emily van Evera (soprano) Including music by Purcell, Locke and Mattheis
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Britten Sinfonia at Lunch - March 2009
Thu 12 Mar 2009 Town Hall
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The Damnation of Faust
Thu 12 Mar 2009 Symphony Hall
A pact with the devil, a chorus of drunken students, unfulfilled love and a final, terrifying ride to the abyss • Berlioz’s most successful dramatic work has it all! Long famous for its Hungarian March and Dance of the Sylphs, tonight’s performance with the full CBSO forces led by an outstanding French conductor provides a welcome opportunity for Birmingham audiences to hear the whole work, and revel in Berlioz’s outlandish imagination.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Berlioz: The Damnation of Faust 125’
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The Hollies
Sun 15 Mar 2009 Symphony Hall
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Schubert’s Great
Tue 17 Mar 2009 Symphony Hall
Glinka: Ruslan and Ludmila - Overture Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 schubert: Symphony No. 9 (The Great) Always a favourite with CBSO audiences and players, the distinguished conductor Walter Weller returns for one of the greatest musical masterworks from his native Vienna, Schubert’s last completed symphony. Though never performed in the composer’s lifetime, it has since become one of his most frequently-performed works;Tchaikovsky’s equally well-known concerto also nearly never saw the light of day, its dedicatee denouncing it as ‘poorly composed and unplayable’. Well, pianists and audiences since 1874 have tended to disagree!
Walter Weller -conductor Sergey Kuznetsov -piano City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Glinka: Ruslan and Ludmila - Overture Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 Schubert: Symphony No. 9 (The Great)
