Cbso 2026/27 Symphonie Fantastique
B:Music (Town Hall & Symphony Hall)Symphony Hall, 8 Centenary Square, Birmingham
Wed 21 Oct · 19:00
About this event
Artists François Leleux Conductor/Cor Anglais City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Programme Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, 10mins Gipps Wind Sinfonietta, 13mins Debussy Rhapsody for Cor Anglais and Orchestra, 11mins Berlioz Symphonie fantastique, 50mins Overview Rhapsodies, lazy afternoons – and a wild night of dreams. This spectacular programme is bookended by two revolutionary works. Debussy’s Prelude sounds gorgeously melodic and completely uncontroversial today, but caused quite the stir at the 1899 premiere, with its sensual evocation of an afternoon in the sun. His later Rhapsodie was originally scored for saxophone, but here celebrates the distinctive, melancholy sound of the English horn, performed by renowned soloist François Leleux (who also conducts). Gipps’ lush and lyrical Sinfonietta is a further tribute to the beauty of the wind section. Berlioz’ Symphonie was composed decades before any of these, but is one of the most outrageous, genre-busting works in the repertoire. Expect to have a simply fantastique time.
