Tonhalle Zurich: Variations in Music and of a Conductor (Sir Mark Elder)

Variations in Music and of a Conductor

 

Mark Elder Photo (c) Tonhalle Zurich-Credit-#FD96

The British conductor, Sir Mark Elder is no stranger to the Tonhalle Zurich. Having been music director and conductor for many years at the English National Opera, and at the Rochester Philharmonic in the USA, he now directs the famous Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, where he has brought the orchestra up to an international level of playing.

On December 17th, 18th he returns to Zurich at short notice, to conduct a programme of the most interesting and listenable music you will have heard this season. The first piece, «A Shropshire Lad» completed by George Butterworth in 1912, is written in the folk-song idiom, with poems set to music providing a sweet introduction to the concert. The expressive and melodious «Enigma Variations» by Edward Elgar, which were composed a few years earlier in 1898, is one of the most

loved and well-known pieces of the English symphonic repertoire. The variations on a theme portray many of his friends, the most famous of which is «Nimrod». Although not played very regularly outside the UK, the wonderful acoustic of the Tonhalle, plus the exquisite playing of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the «Enigma Variations» will have you transfixed.

Richard Strauss tone-poem «Don Quixote» is another set of variations, and one of the marvels of the symphonic repertoire. The intricate orchestra writing telling the story of this pathetic character, with the solo cello and viola, make this a glorious finale to the concert.

For futher information: tonhalle-orchester.ch

Box office: Claridenstrasse 7, 8002 Zürich, Tel. 044 206 34 34

CHF 125 / 105 / 85 / 65 / 40 / 25

Sa 17.12.11, 19.30 Uhr, Weihnachtskonzert So 18.12.11, 17 Uhr, Weihnachtskonzert Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich

Sir Mark Elder, Leitung

Thomas Grossenbacher, Violoncello

Michel Rouilly, Viola

George Butterworth: A Shropshire lad, Rhapsodie für grosses Orchester

Edward Elgar: Variationen über ein Originalthema, Enigma, op. 36

Richard Strauss: Don Quixote op. 35, Fantastische Variationen über ein Thema ritterlichen

Charakters für Violoncello, Viola und Orchester