by Rose Rushe
IRISH Chamber Orchestra’s next concert in Limerick falls on Friday April 10 at UCH, led by virtuoso Jörg Widmann, principal guest conductor/ artistic partner of the orchestra.
Widmann has long established a dynamic synergy with these musicians. Audiences are enjoying his exploration of the many facets of Mendelssohn’s music alongside his own compositions – including a new commission to be premiered.
“Mozart’s Don Giovanni Overture suggests an impending tragedy but the music makes an emotional U-turn into something quite magnificent,” observes Charlotte Eglington of the ICO. ”It counter balances the powerful close of Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony No. 5, which celebrates the triumph of Protestantism over Catholicism, building slowly in layers through the orchestra to a rather majestic finale”.
Mendelssohn’s obsession with Bach’s counterpoint inspired Widmann’s own ‘Attempt at a Fugue for Soprano and Orchestra’. Irish Chamber Orchestra and Stuttgarter Kammerorchester jointly commissioned a world premiere of the re-writing of this work for string orchestra, originally Widmann’s String Quartet No. 5. This will be performed with American soprano, Claron McFaddon who will also sing for us Widmann’s Sphinx’s Sayings and Riddle Canons, with American pianist Gilles Vonsattel.
Mozart’s C Fugue was first composed for two pianos but re-arranged for strings, with an introductory Adagio reminiscent of a French overture.
McFaddon regularly performs with The Netherlands Opera, Glyndebourne, Aix-en-Provence, The Concertgebouw, The Concertgebouw Brugge, The Salzburger Festspiele, and The Holland Festival.
Working from The Netherlands and enjoying a career studded with glory, she was awarded the prestigious Amsterdam Prize for the Arts and was also a Grammy nominee.
Set aside Friday April 10 for a memorable experience at UCH, 8pm. Book at box office or go online www.uch.ie
