麻豆社

Live from Aberystwyth Arts Centre

Presented by Nicola Heywood Thomas

The 麻豆社 National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Ben Gernon, performs Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony plus trumpet concertos by Haydn and Arutiunian with soloist Philippe Schartz.

Shostakovich: Festive Overture, Op. 96
Arutiunian: Trumpet Concerto

7.55 Interval - Music from Wales for brass band

8.15
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E flat
Tchaikovsky: Symphony no.4 in F minor, Op. 36

Philippe Schartz (trumpet)
麻豆社 National Orchestra of Wales
Ben Gernon (conductor)

Philippe Schartz, Principal Trumpet with the 麻豆社 National Orchestra of Wales, takes to the front of the stage as soloist in two great showcase concertos for trumpet. Armenian composer Alexander Arutiunian took advantage of the trumpet to blaze through even the grandest symphonic textures in his 1950 concerto, whilst Haydn worked for the first time with the precursor of the valve trumpet, filling in some of the notes not available on the natural trumpet. Bold brassiness takes us through the rest of the programme with Shostakovich's brilliant fanfare and Tchaikovsky's turbulent 4th Symphony, a mirror of his emotional strife at the time, with blood-curdling brass instruments ominously sounding the theme of Fate. For the composer it represents "the force of destiny which ever prevents our pursuit of happiness from reaching its goal. The exciting young British conductor Ben Gernon (himself an ex-tuba player) directs the orchestra on the first leg of their spring trip around Wales.