Young, energetic and vibrant are not words that are usually attached to a chamber ensemble.
However, Manchester Camerata’s new Head of Creative Planning, Samantha McShane, is all of those things and, when the group kick off their new season this Friday, she will be aiming to bring these traits to the fore.
Entitled ‘In Memoriam Benjamin Britten’ the performance at Manchester Town Hall is a celebration of the composer’s centenary and includes pieces from Britten, Arvo Pärt and Mozart that should be moving and inspirational.
The concert will begin with Pärt and his achingly beautiful, Cantus In Memoriam Benjamin Britten. Written in 1977 the piece is an elegy to Britten, who had died the year before and whose music the Estonian composer admired.
It begins and ends with a scored silence and the tolling of a bell which, stuck in pianissimo, evokes the memory of Britten.
Music from Mozart and Haydn ran through Manchester Camerata’s last season and Mozart will feature again in this concert, as the orchestra play his joyous Symphony No.29 K20 before Britten’s Simple Symphony Op.4 and his Prelude and Fugue for 18 Strings Op.29.
The former harpist to the HRH Prince of Wales, Claire Jones will also be performing Mozart’s famous Concerto for Fugue for Harp, Flute and Orchestra K299 with the Manchester Camerata’s principal flautist Amina Hussain.
Manchester Camerata’s Head of Creative Programming, Samantha McShane says there is an ‘energetic and youthful’ theme to the program.
Britten’s Simple Symphony, written in 1933-4 and finished when he was 20, has eight themes from tunes he wrote in childhood. Similarly, the Mozart Symphony was written when he was 18.
One of the other themes of the concert is the idea of taking older forms of music and presenting them in a modern way as well as acknowledging the work of others.
Britten’s Fugue of (1943) is an homage to Bach. Written when he was only 30 it lasts eight and a half minutes and has a two part counterpoint –and, of course, Bach is the king of counterpoint.
Their inspirational Music Director, Gábor Takács-Nagy will lead Manchester Camerata for the concert. Known for his flair and vivacity, McShane says she feels confident when making any decisions over what the orchestra will play.
“Gáb is a bundle of joy,” She said. “He’s just a fantastic director who can bring any music to light.”
Fittingly Manchester Camerata has invited the youthful and incredibly talented harpist Claire Jones, to play Mozart’s famous Concerto for Fugue for Harp, Flute and Orchestra K299. The orchestra and Jones seem equally excited about their first tour together.
It is a concert that should be incredibly moving and, if anything, Britten’s music may be left overshadowed.
McShane discusses Britten’s opera compositions with Stefan Janski, Head of Opera at the RNCM, in a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.
Tickets for the concert are on sale via The Bridgewater Hall Box Office. Phone: 0844 907 9000 or purchase online by clicking here.
Image courtesy of Manchester Camerata via Vimeo, with thanks
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