Psappha – Songs of the World
Thursday 28 November, 7.30pm at Halle St Peter’s, Manchester
Programme
Webern String Quartet, Op.28
Cheryl Frances-Hoad The Whole Earth Dances
Athanasia Kontou After Psappha
Alissa Firsova Songs of the World world premiere
Lutyens The Valley of Hatsu-Se
Schoenberg, arr. Webern Chamber Symphony No.1
Overview
The first concert at the newly renovated Hallé St Peter’s features a Psappha commission inspired by the Vienna of a century ago. Alissa Firsova’s Songs of the World sets three poems by Hugo van Hofmannsthal – a contemporary of Anton Webern, whose abstract but gripping String Quartet and masterful arrangement of Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony both feature tonight. Poetry also provides the inspiration for Elizabeth Lutyens’ rarely-heard The Valley of Hatsu-Se, which draws on Japanese texts, and Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s more recent The Whole Earth Dances, inspired in part by Ted Hughes.
Stephen Barlow Conductor
Daisy Brown Soprano
Into the Music at 6.40pm (Free to ticket-holders)
Alissa Firsova and Athanasia Kontou join Tim Williams and the RNCM’s Douglas Jarman to introduce tonight’s concert.