Conductor: Sofi Jeannin
This evening’s performance features a selection of music from epic composers over the past century and 
shows the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) in all its glory. With pieces that allow the orchestra to collaborate with solo and choral voices as well as shine on their own, this concert is a well-curated love letter to the music makers.
The first piece is a brief yet powerful introduction to the full might of the CBSO. Judith Weir’s Music, Untangled weaves intricate threads of melody together. It’s beautiful, but at times the threads clash in a tangle of purposeful dissonance – the song is very aptly named. The orchestra, conducted by the energetic Sofi Jeannin, makes skilful work of this short piece.
Jeannin steps off her podium to make a personal introduction to the audience as the Children’s and Youth Chorus file in behind her. She fondly speaks about her memories as a child, singing with a chorus, and remarks that tonight may be the first time some of the young people in the Chorus have ever sung with an orchestra. The piece which follows is a selection of jovial, fast-paced settings for youth voices called Friday Afternoons, inspired by Benjamin Britten’s earlier work of the same name. Nico Muhly, composer of the piece, drew from folk songs, classic poetry, and Britten’s previous work to create this enchanting set of songs. The Orchestra and the Chorus find an enjoyable and fun relationship bringing Muhly’s work onstage in the UK for the first time.
Next is Benjamin Britten’s classic and well-beloved The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. It lives up to the hype. Although this piece is sometimes presented with a commentary of sorts, introducing each movement and group of instruments to the audience, here it is played through with simply the music. It is both exciting and delicate, brash and tender. The instruments engage in a navigation of crossing melody, having an animated conversation and pulling the listener in at every moment. Before the evening is finished, we are treated to one more setting for the Orchestra, their adult Chorus, and soloist Dame Sarah Connolly.
Edward Elgar’s The Music Makers premiered in Birmingham at the Triennial Festival in 1912. There is undeniable excitement about bringing this epic piece back to the place it was first played. The opening is ethereal and dramatic, putting the full orchestra and chorus to work immediately. The lyrics come from Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s Ode, which depicts the music maker – the artist – as a solitary but strong figure who can build worlds and destroy them. There are moments of exuberance and of melancholy, brilliantly shared by the Orchestra and Chorus.
Experienced symphony attendees will find themselves right at home in this concert. There is a fantastic mix of music, delivered expertly and with the professional devotion that is characteristic of the CBSO. Dame Sarah Connolly brings an additional special layer to this concert. Although her vocal style may not appeal to an untrained ear, her capable performance is impressive and makes Elgar’s famous piece whole.
After watching this concert, it is easy to understand O’Shaughnessy’s poetic statement about the music makers, “And his look or a word he hath spoke wrought flame in another man’s heart.” These musicians deliver a stirring performance, one that certainly inspires an emotional response from the audience. It is also hopeful that the young people featured in this concert find themselves even more encouraged to follow their dreams, join the ranks of artists, and to continue to be music makers.
Reviewed on 20 November 2024
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Music maker's glory
