Main content

Illuminating the Stage

With flickering candles and mirrors to the incredible lighting effects, we dispel the darkness of the season; Fiona Shaw discovers the invisible brilliance of stage lighting.

Clemens Schuldt makes his debut conducting the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú National Orchestra of Wales during their biannual tour of mid and north Wales. Two immensely popular works share the bill in this concert from Bangor. Brahms's Violin Concerto was the latest attempt by the composer to shake off the spectre of Beethoven, which had dogged him his whole compositional life. Former Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú New Generation Artist Aleksey Semenenko explores its joyous themes and hearty dances, which hark back to Brahms's younger days, enjoying life with his friend, and the works dedicatee, Joseph Joachim. Dvořák's final symphony is dedicated not to a person, but to his new home, America. Infused with the sounds of this new world which he had embraced, and renowned for that celebrated cor anglais solo, a theme made famous by a boy delivering bread on a bike (other bakers are available), it certainly is one not to be missed.

Recorded in Prichard Jones Hall, Bangor last month, and presented by Nicola Heywood Thomas.

Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op 77

8.20 Interval music

8.40 Dvorak: Symphony No 9 in E minor, Op 95 'From the New World'

Aleksey Semenenko (violin)
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú National Orchestra of Wales
Clemens Schuldt (conductor)

Available now

44 minutes

Last on

Sun 8 Dec 2019 18:45

Broadcasts

  • Christmas Day 2017 18:45
  • Sun 8 Dec 2019 18:45

Featured in...

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh explore the puzzle of Beethoven’s poor health.

Classical music in a strongman's Russia – has anything changed since Stalin's day?

What composer Gabriel Prokofiev and I found in Putin's Moscow...

Six Secret Smuggled Books

Six classic works of literature we wouldn't have read if they hadn't been smuggled...

Grid

Seven images inspired by the grid

World Music collector, Sir David Attenborough

The field recordings Attenborough of music performances around the world.