An Evening at Snape Maltings
What a feast for the ears last week’s trip to Snape Maltings was! Students were treated to performances from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, including Shostakovich’s best ever symphony, No.10 on a beautiful balmy night. Students loved listening out for the secret message hidden in the music which they’ve been learning about in lessons (even if they did lose count of how many times the brilliant D-S-C-H theme occurred). Alice adored hearing what the five superb French horns of the BBC Welsh sounded like – inspiring stuff! Hopefully she can channel their energy and gusto in this weekend’s Gala Concert!
Year 9’s Noah reports on the pieces played and the evening.
“We left by minibus at 6.15pm – an intrepid seven students from Years 9 to 12 and Mrs Kent in the driving seat. It was a warm evening but the concert hall was well air-conditioned.
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales had their blazers off, ready to play, not only to those of use lucky enough to be there, but to everyone listening to BBC Radio 3’s live concert. The first piece was the shortest – Elizabeth Maconchy’s ‘Proud Thames’, the overture to the Queen’s coronation in 1953. It was a graceful piece utilising the whole of the orchestral palette.
The next piece was William Walton’s Cello Concerto featuring Laura van der Heijden on cello. She was a former winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year. This was a romantic but rather turbulent rollercoaster of a piece and, as it was dedicated to Walton’s wife, we speculated on the relationship they had!
After the interval we were treated to Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, one of the most renowned pieces of the twentieth century. This was a fascinating piece as we discovered he had hidden his name within the tune and used it as a motif.
Overall, the performance was a delight to listen to and inspired all who went. Thanks to Mrs Kent for organising!”
