Winter Warmers

The evening

Corelli’s lively and energetic concerto is full of melodic invention. The concluding Pastorale evokes images of the shepherds in the fields and angels hovering over Bethlehem. In The Four Seasons, Vivaldi demonstrates a sense of humour and delicacy of expression without rival. Autumn celebrates the abundance of harvest and hunting whilst Winter’s frosty chill and biting winds are tempered by a warm fire. Nightmarish visions abound in Mussorgsky’s depiction of a witches’ Sabbath. Bone-chilling elements, include the sinister roll of the bass drum and scary descending phrases that slither like serpents. With the tolling of a church bell, the darkness is finally dispersed and the ghouls sent packing. Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker has charmed Christmas audiences over the years with its range of gorgeous music and romantic imagery. From the elegant Waltz of the Flowers to the witty Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Dance of the Reed Flutes, the score is a feast of wonderful melodies. The music tinkles in the memory like a lost music box – enchanting for young and old alike.