Imperial Majesty at Portsmouth Guildhall

About

Celebrate the majesty of symphonic music with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Thursday 19 November. Join the orchestra alongside Conductor Andrew Litton and soloist Jonathan Biss for an unmissable journey through the iconic works of Walton, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky at Portsmouth Guildhall.

Combining Tudor-style choral grandeur with modern, rhythmic energy, Walton's vibrant and majestic coronation march is celebrated for its stately main theme, a lyrical trio, and a triumphant finale.

Beethoven's final piano concerto is the largest in scale of all of his concertos – an epic tour de force, pitching soloist and orchestra in a musical argument of unprecedented breadth and scale. A spirit of heroism infuses the music, whilst the sublime slow movement is one of Beethoven's most profound. However it might have acquired its name, it really is the 'Emperor' of piano concertos.

Tchaikovsky's Suite No.3 is a finely crafted work of winning spirit, though one that rarely broaches the personal revelations of his late symphonies. It is entirely idiomatic Tchaikovsky, nonetheless. Nobody else could have written the opening Elegy, which traces a trajectory from the relaxed to the impassioned, with its gorgeous themes and fluttering accompaniments.

Andrew Litton - Conductor
Jonathan Biss - Piano

Works and composers
Walton - Crown Imperial March
Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.5 'Emperor'
Tchaikovsky - Suite No.3

This concert is part of an ongoing series on Wednesday evenings at Lighthouse, Poole. Multibuy discounts are on offer for all concerts booked through the BSO Box Office – so the more you visit, the more you save! They will also be streaming 18 Digital Concerts this season so check out their What's On page on bsolive.com, to see which concerts you can watch from the comfort of your own home.