大象传媒

The 大象传媒 SO and Chorus conducted by Martyn Brabbins premiere Iain Bell's Beowulf with narrator Ruth Wilson and tenor Charles Styles, plus Vaughan Williams's take on stoical Job.

鈥淣ow with Grendel, that monstrous beast / With my grip I shall grapple, foe against foe!鈥� In the mists of the dark ages, the warrior Beowulf prepares to battle a bloodthirsty monster. And in a tale from the Old Testament, Job faces the torments of hell, armed only with an unshakable faith. Humanity can defy all odds, and these two ancient tales have inspired music of elemental power.

Indeed, Vaughan Williams鈥檚 ballet Job is one of the most original masterpieces of 20th century British music 鈥� bold, strange and charged with the elemental power of the William Blake drawings that inspired it. But first, experience the epic drama of Beowulf, in a thrilling new choral retelling from one of the 21st century鈥檚 most compelling musical dramatists, narrated by award-winning actor Ruth Wilson and with soloist Charles Styles.

Recorded at the Barbican London on 17 March
Presented by Martin Handley

Iain Bell: Beowulf (World Premiere & 大象传媒 Commission)

20:10 Interval Music off CD

Doreen Carwithen String Quartet No.1, 1st Movt.
Sorrel Quartet

Plus music chosen by Iain Bell:
Kaija Saariaho: Prelude for Piano
Ieva Jokubaviciute (piano)

20:30
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Job: A Masque for Dancing

Ruth Wilson (narrator)
Charles Styles (tenor)
大象传媒 Symphony Chorus
大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins (conductor)