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Beethoven and Schoenberg

BBC Symphony Orchestra

,Barbican Hall
James Ehnes 2018 landscape sitting on chair

A concert of musical darkness and light pairs Beethoven’s sunny Violin Concerto with the atmospheric shadows of Schoenberg’s Pelleas und Melisande.

The ghosts of Mahler and, above all, Richard Strauss haunt Schoenberg’s gorgeous, expansive symphonic poem. This late-Romantic work conjures the dark forests and brooding castle of Maeterlinck’s fairytale, its thick orchestral textures shot through with gilded woodwind and brass.

Beethoven’s lively, brilliant D major Violin Concerto is the contrasting opener, with Canadian virtuoso James Ehnes making a rare appearance with the BBC Symphony Orchestra as soloist. Ryan Wigglesworth conducts.

Tagged with: Classical music BBC Symphony Orchestra 2018–19 Multibuy BBC Symphony Orchestra 2018–19

Programme

Beethoven Violin Concerto
Schoenberg Pelleas et Melisande

Performers

BBC Symphony Orchestra
Ryan Wigglesworth* conductor
James Ehnes violin

* Please note that the originally advertised conductor Lother Koenigs has had to withdraw from this performance. The BBC SO is very grateful to Ryan Wigglesworth for stepping in to take his place at short notice.

Discover

an orchestra playing classical music in the barbican hall in central london

Listen: Classical Music on Spotify

Follow our regularly updated Classical Music playlist for a sample of the music you'll hear across our programme. 

Cocktails, concrete and tonnes of charm

Pop into the Martini Bar for a pre-performance tipple, with Happy Hour from 5-6pm
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Barbican Hall