Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony
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- What you'll hear
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Storms. Cuckoos. Bring your walking boots.
Who’s on stage
There’s nothing like being reunited with an old friend, and tonight you’ll see not only Royal Northern Sinfonia on stage but also the orchestra’s much-loved former Music Director, Thomas Zehetmair.
What they’re playing
We’ve got a dreamy opening with Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel’s Overture and then jump from Germany to France with Mozart’s Paris Symphony, before getting transported to rural bliss with Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony.
Need to know
Need to know:
Price: £19 – £46
Discounts: save if you’re under 17, aged 18 – 30, a classical first timer, or a group of 10 or more people. Check the details.
Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes, including a 20 minute interval.
Age: under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
What you'll hear
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel Overture (11’)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 31 ‘Paris’ (17′)
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastoral’ (39’)
Who's playing
Thomas Zehetmair conductor
Royal Northern Sinfonia
What's happening in the music
Ah, the great outdoors! There’s nothing like it, and very few musical descriptions of it like Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. The music features distinctive sounds of a cuckoo, country folk dancing and even a raging storm. Heading back to the city, Mozart’s Paris Symphony was written while he was staying there. It featured the biggest orchestra he’d ever used and was a huge hit straight away – with audiences applauding mid movement to show their appreciation. Dare you do the same today?
‘There just haven’t been as many female composers…’
A line trotted out now and then to justify the very slight (note understatement) over-representation of male composers in many concerts. Fact is, plenty of women in the past were writing fantastic music, they just rarely got a chance to have it performed. Fanny of course also lived in the shadow of her composer husband but had her own distinct musical voice. Music historian Richard Taruskin says “the life of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel is compelling proof that women’s failure to “compete” with men on the compositional playing-field has been the result of social prejudice and patriarchal mores”. Quite.
Catch Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Principal Guest Conductor Nil Vendetti with Ulster Orchestra for their take on Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel’s Overture.
