Mahler’s fourth symphony forgoes the heavy orchestral forces of his first three for lighter textures; it is also rather shorter. The composer explores themes of childhood and innocence with a finale in which the soprano sings of a child’s vision of heaven, “the angelic voices gladden our senses, so that all awaken for joy.”
We keep to the childhood theme with ‘Siegfried Idyll’, a birthday present to Wagner’s wife Cosima after the birth of their son Siegfried. It, too, inhabits a sound world very different from most of Wagner’s music.
Two splendid arias by Mozart complete our programme. From one of his least known works, the unfinished opera ‘Zaide’, comes ‘Ruhe Sanft’. Most of our audience will know ‘Dove sono’, one of the highlights of ‘The Marriage of Figaro’.
For this concert we welcome guest conductor Robert Hodge and soprano Emily Garland.
