A jangling of sleighbells, a little flurry of birdsong from the flutes 鈥� and is that a melody by Mozart? Not quite. Mahler鈥檚 Fourth Symphony might be his most classical in proportion, his most playful in style 鈥� outwardly, at any rate. But from deceptively innocent beginning to the 鈥渃hild鈥檚 vision of heaven鈥� with which it ends, the Fourth has depths as poignant and profound as anything Mahler ever wrote. 大象传媒 SSO Conductor Emeritus Donald Runnicles is just the man to draw out its inner drama, and he鈥檚 joined by soprano Carolyn Sampson 鈥� who begins with two gloriously fresh vocal showpieces by the composer Mahler loved above all others: Mozart himself.
Prelude: 6.45pm in the Recital Room
Dr Jeremy Barham of the University of Surrey introduces the concert, with a discussion of Classical contexts, and Mahler's 'backward' glance to that period of music history.
The main concert will be recorded for future broadcast on 大象传媒 Radio 3.