Concert: Nielsen, Elgar, Holst, Sibelius

You have to be there. If there is one concert this season which has the 'wow' factor, this is it.

Elgar's Cello Concerto is one of the most popular classical pieces in the repertoire (currently no. 5 in Classic FM's Hall of Fame), and we are delighted to have American-born Yehudi Menuhin School graduate Bartholomew LaFollette to perform it for us.
Bartholomew has been impressing audiences around the world with his highly-praised interpretation of this wonderful concerto. His insights into this last major work that Elgar wrote, promise to be something really special.

There is a special connection between Elgar, Norwich, and our concert sponsors for the evening. During Sir Edward Elgar's frequent visits to the city (for the triennial Norfolk and Norwich Festival), he would stay with a friend Walter Hansell, watching performances with him and even inviting him to spend Christmas with his family. This concert then, is something of a 'reunion' because it is sponsored by Hansell's Solicitors, Walter Hansell's long-standing company.

And there is another treat in store. Images from Elgar's diary will be on display at the concert, courtesy of Martin Bird, Elgar enthusiast, and editor of the Elgar Society Journal. This is a very special opportunity to read excerpts where the composer describes his affection for his hosts, the Hansells, and for Norwich. You can find out more about the diaries, and the Elgar-Hansell connection, in a recent EDP article.

The Phil will also be playing a piece which received its definitive first performance less than a month after that of the Cello concerto in 1919: Sibelius' Symphony No. 5. With its stunning Finnish landscapes, the 5th Symphony introduces one of the composer's most memorable ideas: the bell-like tolling chords, said to have come to him after he watched a flock of swans passing overhead.

To complete the programme we have Nielsen's Agean-inspired Helios Overture, and a rarely-heard gem, the Overture Egdon Heath, by Gustav Holst. Listen out for the chilly brooding reflections in Holst's homage to Thomas Hardy's The Native.

An excellent concert for seasoned concert-goers and novices alike. Tickets are selling fast. Get yours soon to avoid disappointment.