Haydn - 'Nelson' Mass
Beethoven - Symphony No 7
Bjorn Bantock, Conductor
Of the many Masses that Haydn composed, The ‘Nelson’ Mass is the most popular, and is thought by many to be his greatest single composition.
While the precise connection to Admiral Lord Nelson has never been definitively established, it is thought that the coincidence of news of Nelson’s defeat of Napoleon in the Battle of the Nile spreading across Europe around the time of its first performance, and a visit to Austria by Nelson 2 years later when he met Haydn and probably attended a performance of the work, may be why. Nelson was hailed as a hero, the saviour of Europe.The doom laden and menacing opening, followed by drama and agitation, culminating in a triumphant finale seemed to depict troubled times followed by victory, and indeed Haydn’s original name for the Mass was ‘A Mass for Troubled Times.’
Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 is popular and well known. Over the years it has featured in various films including ‘The King’s Speech’ when the King made his most important speech at the outbreak of war in 1939.
These two works will make this a memorable and exciting concert.
