Coming to America

Take a musical journey to the US with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday 14 April. Join Principal Guest Conductor Chloé Van Soeterstède and soloist Stella Chen as they perform the great works of Boulanger, Barber and Dvořák at the Lighthouse, Poole.

One of her last compositions, Lili Boulanger’s meditative miniature reflects both her recognition that she had only a short time to live and her strong Catholic faith. Her musical language demonstrates the more harmonically adventurous and austere style that she had developed. The orchestral version was transcribed by her sister Nadia.

The Violin Concerto is frequently cited as a turning point in Barber’s output – a work which reflects both the ingratiating melodic-Romantic style of his earlier compositions and the first intimations of a new, leaner approach. The violin sings passionate lines in the opening two movements – the andante is one of the great lyrical outpourings in American music, demonstrating Barber’s command of the long, lush melodic line – before delivering a whirlwind of triplet rhythms in the fast-paced finale.

Remaining incredibly fresh and abounding with memorable melodies, the Ninth Symphony describes Dvořák’s own spiritual and emotional journey from his intense longing for his beloved Bohemia to the thrill of the ‘New World’ and its varied peoples. Its premiere in New York was a huge success and was proclaimed in the US as “the greatest symphonic work ever composed in this country”.

Works and composers:
L Boulanger - D'un soir triste
Barber - Violin Concerto
Dvořák - Symphony No.9 'From the New World'

This concert is part of an ongoing series on Wednesday evenings at Lighthouse, Poole. Multibuy discounts are on offer for all concerts booked through the BSO Box Office – so the more you visit, the more you save! They will also be streaming 18 Digital Concerts this season so check out their What’s On page on bsolive.com, to see which concerts you can watch from the comfort of your own home.