Chester Philharmonic Orchestra Spring Concert at Chester Cathedral

The Chester Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the North West’s premier non-professional orchestras.

Our second concert of the our 21-22 season features a return of cello soloist Findlay Spence to play Dvořák’s cello concerto in B minor. Findlay gave a dazzlilng performance of Shostakovich’s first cello concerto with us in June 2019. The Dvořák cello concerto gives us another opportunity to enjoy his virtuosity.

Mozart’s Magic Flute Overture opens the concert to give a magical atmosphere from one of the greatest operas written. It was not a great success at its first performance with a critic saying that content and language was too low. It was more in the style of a modern day musical rather than with spoken dialogue as opposed to the recitatives that was the general operatic style of the day.

Dvořák was reluctant to write cello concerto at the time as he felt that a cello would be overwhelmed by an orchestra. However, after a lot persausion from his cellist friend Hanus Wihan, he completed the work and it had it first performance in London on 19th March 1895. It is one of his last symphonic works. Brahms' grumble-cum-compliment is well known: "If I'd known it was possible to write a 'cello concerto like this I'd have written one long ago."

The second symphony of Sibelius was written after the success of Finlandia and at the time when Russia was challenging Finland’s independence and culture. It became a further focus of nationalism in Finland. The symphony calls for a large orchestra which is used to the full to describe the Finnish character and countryside.

The orchestra is lucky to have David Chatwin with his extensive experience from his 44 years with the BBC philharmonic to direct what will be an exciting concert. .

The Chester Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the North West’s premier non-professional orchestras. Further details of upcoming concerts, including a concerto appearance by Sheku Kaneh-Mason, can be found on the Orchestra’s web site:

www.chesterphilorchestra.co.uk

For other information please contact Andrew Ball by email on:

publicity@chesterphilorchestra.co.uk

...or by calling:

07398295239 or 01606 593260