Brahms, Strauss & Stravinsky

Saturday 18 June 2022, 7:30pm
Sheldonian Theatre

Stravinsky - Divertimento from Le Baiser de la Fée
Strauss - Horn Concerto no.2
Brahms - Symphony no.1

Richard Watkins horn
Robert Max conductor

Stravinsky's ballet Le Baiser de la Fée (The Fairy's Kiss) depicts a child kissed on the head at birth, revisited by the fairy once he has grown into a young man. The Divertimento from this ballet is a concert suite for orchestra, inspired by tunes from Tchaikovsky.

The horn's singing voice is then showcased in Strauss' second Horn Concerto, which features not only the horn as a heroic hunting instrument, but also beautiful sweeping melodies.

Brahms' first symphony took nearly 20 years to complete, and builds on the legacy left by Beethoven. This well-loved work includes restful interludes, grand melodies and majestic triumph.