Guest conductor Alasdair Neale turns our hearts to the charms of Vienna and the gilded sheen of Paris before WW1. Maurice Ravel looked to the simple sources of the Viennese waltz and children’s stories to inspire his music but then polished these works to perfection. However, the sheen of surface loveliness belies the deep emotions a listener can experience with thoughtful contemplation. Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier gloried the aura of by-gone days with the golden glow of waltzes and delicious elegance. The magic of Strauss’ glorious horn concerto brings our own principal horn player, Jon Gustely, to the spotlight.
Alasdair Neale, conductor
Jon Gustely, horn