Sunshine Symphonies

Join the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Lighthouse, Poole for their second concert in their Beethoven Cycle. On Wednesday 4 November, experience the magic of Beethoven’s Symphony No.2 as well as the works of Prokofiev and Schumann alongside BSO Chief Conductor Mark Wigglesworth and soloist, Artist-in-Residence Boris Giltburg.

Ignoring the Russian Revolution raging in the background, Prokofiev hit upon the idea of writing his first symphony as though Haydn were still writing music in 1917. The result is wonderfully light-hearted and whimsical. Nicknamed the ‘Classical’, it is not without a certain amount of impertinence for the classical form, meshing the tradition of clarity and formality with the renegade spirit of his early works.

Schumann’s concerto, although outwardly resembling those of Mozart and Beethoven, broke new ground in several respects. Most strikingly it moved away from the contemporary use of the concerto as a showcase for the virtuoso pianist. Instead, piano and orchestra form an integrated whole, weaving subtle textures together with delightful lyricism.

It was whilst working through his period of crisis with the onset of deafness that Beethoven completed the Second Symphony. The music is sunny and exuberant and bears no marks of his emotional turmoil. This symphony is a testament to Beethoven’s ability to transcend his own troubles in order to create beauty.

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.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Mark Wigglesworth - Conductor
Boris Giltburg - Piano

Works and composers
Prokofiev - Symphony No.1 ‘Classical’
Schumann - Piano Concerto
Beethoven - Symphony No.2

This concert is part of the BSO’s Beethoven Cycle ‘Road to Joy’, which marks the bicentenary of Beethoven’s death in March 1827. Celebrating each of the symphonies in turn with an 18-month project, a timeless and timely opportunity to engage in what Beethoven means to us today. This journey also includes a series of special Immersion Days - the next taking place in Poole on Saturday 2 October . Beethoven: The Man will be an afternoon of music, conversation and debate with Mark Wigglesworth, Dame Evelyn Glennie and many more!