Strings at the Abbey

Vale Royal String Orchestra

Strings at the Abbey

The Great Hall, Vale Royal Abbey

7.00 pm Sunday 18th June 2023

Stephen Threlfall will be directing the Vale Royal String Orchestra on 18th June 2023 in the magnificent surroundings of the Great Hall at Vale Royal Abbey in a mixed programme of music from the pre-classical era to the twentieth century.

The programme includes Intermezzo by Franz Schreker, Concerto Grosso No 2 by William Alwyn, Pizzicato Polka, Sinfonia Concertante by Abel who was a contempory of Mozart with soloists from the Chester Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert concludes with Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances.

Franz Schrecker’s first success as a composer was in 1901 with his prize winning Intermezzo for Strings while at Vienna Conservatory. It is characterised by its lyrical Romanticism.

The William Alwyn Trust is supporting a performance of his Concerto Grosso No 2 for string orchestra. It was written in 1948 and is one of his many and varied compositions ranging from piano music, to Symphonies, operas and seventy film scores.

The Pizzicato Polka by Johann Strauss II is a regularly played on Viennese nights and forever popular.

Sinfonia Concertante by Abel belongs to the pre-classical era but heralds a change of style to this era. Mozart copied this work as an exercise which led to it being attributed to Mozart as his symphony No 3. The error was corrected in the 19th Century.

Ancient Airs and Dances by Respighi, who studied violin and viola and then composition with Rimsky-Korsakov, was commissioned by Diaghilev to compose these works for his ballet company. They are transcriptions of lute pieces by 16th century composers. No 3 is arranged for strings and dates from 1937.

Stephan Threlfall is a cellist, conductor and creative director of numerous artistic projects. including Artistic Director of the Lake District Summer Music Featival. He stood down from his role as Director of Music at Chetham’s School of Music in 2019, after 24 years.