Tchaikovsky Pathétique, Brahms double Nov 2024

Slough Philharmonic orchestra
1730, Sunday 17 November 2024,
Braywick Leisure Centre, Maidenhead SL6 1BN

Nielson Helios Overture
Brahms Double Concerto
Tchaikovsky Symphony 6 (Pathétique)

conductor: Leon Gee
Violin: Maja Horvat
Cello: Akito Goto

One of the defining sounds of the romantic period, Tchaikovsky believed the much-loved 'Pathétique' to be his greatest composition.  Of all his works, this is arguably the one that spans both extremes of the emotional spectrum to the greatest extent.  Joy, exuberance, pathos and a final fading away perfectly depict the theme of inescapable fate that was such a dominant theme in Russian culture at the time. Tchaikovsky’s death shortly after the premiere adds to its pathos and makes this the composer’s final work. 

Brahms described his double concerto for violin, cello and orchestra as “amusing” but the reason behind it was quite serious.  Brahms had fallen out with a friend, the violinist Jacob Joachim.  As Clara Schumann noted, "This concerto is a work of reconciliation - Joachim and Brahms have spoken to each other again for the first time in years." We are delighted to welcome Maja Horvat (violin) and Akito Goto (cello) as soloists.

Named for the Greek word for the sun, Carl Nielson describes the path of the sun in his spellbinding overture as he himself experienced it during a sojourn in Greece Listen for the four horn calls representing the sun being drawn across the sky by the four horses of Greek mythology, then setting with its energy entirely spent.

A special price family ticket is available for this concert. Admits 3 to 5 people: minimum one child, maximum two adults.