In most of his work, including his much-loved Violin Concerto and Adagio for Strings, Samuel Barber is the USA’s great Romantic composer of the 20th century. His music is informed by a deep respect for tradition, as demonstrated with directness and power in this homage to Bach. Taking Bach’s harmonisation of the plainsong Christ, thou lamb of God as his centrepiece, Barber uses a symphonic brass ensemble to undertake some musical time-travelling, transforming the raw musical material in a compellingly different ways.
Mozart’s adulthood coincided with the rise of woodwind instrumentalists as soloists, hence this delicious concerto for oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn. History tells us that Mozart wrote this Sinfonia Concertante in Paris for four talented friends to play with a Parisian concert society. But scholars now tell us that Mozart’s original work is probably lost and that this one may not be by Mozart at all. Then again if the joy, delight and elegance of this music suggest Mozart to you, who’s going to argue?
In this gloriously resonant program, ANAM musicians will be directed by Katy Woolley, a British horn player and pedagogue. She is an extraordinary young musician and currently the principal horn of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam.
Joan TOWER Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Morten LAURIDSEN O Magnum Mysterium, arr. Littlemore
Samuel BARBER Mutations from Bach
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds
Katy Woolley director/horn
ANAM Orchestra
Presented by ANAM and Melbourne Recital Centre
Season packages available:
4 Concert Package
Standard $168 ($145 Concession)
Book 4 concerts
3 Concert Package
Standard $129 ($108 Concession)
Book 3 concerts