麻豆社 Philharmonic Principal Guest Conductor, Ben Gernon, returns to MediaCity for a live 麻豆社 Radio 3 broadcast of atmospheric, fairy-tale coloured music.
Opening this afternoon is Engelbert Humperdinck's setting of Hansel and Gretel: the classic story from the Brothers Grimm. As with many fairy tales, the story is light on the surface, but carries dark undertones, and Humperdinck illustrates this well-loved fairy-tale with some of his most sumptuous music.
We also have a second chance to hear Anna Clyne鈥檚 This Midnight Hour (the 麻豆社 Philharmonic gave the UK premiere with Ben Gernon in March). Drawing inspiration from two poems - one by Juan Ram贸n Jim茅nez and the other by Charles Baudelaire 鈥� Clyne鈥檚 2015 atmospheric and colourful miniature takes the listener on a vivid journey 鈥� and beyond.
Closing this afternoon鈥檚 broadcast we hear music from Tchaikovsky鈥檚 infamous ballet - Swan Lake. Despite its initial failure, it is now considered to be one of the most popular of all ballets 鈥� albeit only gaining a positive reputation after Tchaikovsky鈥檚 death. In 1882, reflecting on his ballet, he wrote: 鈥� I wanted very much to save this music from oblivion, since it contains some fine things.鈥�
