Blue Mountains Orchestra presents the exquisite and powerful works of two of England’s most renowned composers, Vaughan Williams and Sir Edward Elgar, at the Blue Mountains Theatre on Sunday September 11, 2pm in the aptly titled English Ecstasy.
After the death of Henry Purcell in 1664, England had not produced a home-grown composer of note, with the English musical scene dominated by imports from Europe, such as Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn.
A group of English composers in the late 19th Century were determined to change that; most notably Parry, Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Holst and Delius. Essential to this revival was the discovery of the vast wealth of folk music, passed down from generation to generation, and sung in the villages, pubs and rural settings.
Ralph Vaughan Williams was born in 1872. His English Folk Song Suite was written for concert band, and later arranged for orchestra by Gordon Jacob. It brings together four great tunes from Somerset, Seventeen Come Sunday, My Bonny Boy, Blow Away the Morning Dew and John Barleycorn, and weaves them into an unforgettable, and toe-tapping fabric of music.
Sir Edward Elgar, born in 1857, was an accomplished violinist and organist. His musical training was in the German tradition (Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner) and his music reflects this; however, his great love for rural England was apparent with many of his compositions reflecting the folk-song influence.
He wrote when the British Empire covered much of the globe, and his five Pomp and Circumstance Marches (No. 1 including Land of Hope and Glory) reflect power and confidence, with big, strong tunes. Included in the program will be Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4, perhaps the most lyrical of the set.
In his Sea Pictures, Elgar selected five poems about the sea from five different poets and gives us five spectacular musical descriptions, from a calm and tranquil setting to the crash of storm driven waves on rocks. The words will be brought to life most vividly by Blue Mountains born opera singer and rising star, Keara Donohoe. The orchestra will be conducted by musical director Mal Hewitt.
Tickets are $25 (adult); $15 (child under 15 yrs); $70 (family of 4). To book, call the box office on 4723 5050 or visit: www.bluemountainstheatre.com.