Egmont Overture - Beethoven
Lyric for Strings - Walker
Peer Gynt Suite #1 - Grieg
Symphony #1 - Sibelius
“Our opening concert is an orchestral showcase. We open with Beethoven's heroic Egmont Overture. In the music for Egmont, Beethoven expressed his own political concerns through the exaltation of the heroic sacrifice of a man condemned to death for having taken a valiant stand against oppression. The Overture became an unofficial anthem of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. We transition from the power of Beethoven to the serenity of George Walker's "Lyric for Strings". Reminiscent of Barber's Adagio for Strings, this short piece features our opulent string section. We conclude the first half of the concert with the very popular "Peer Gynt Suite #1" of Edvard Grieg. From the opening "Morning Moods" to the raucous "In the Hall of the Mountain King", the music carries us through events of Norwegian mythology. We stay in Scandinavia for the conclusion of our concert, Symphony #1 by Jan Sibelius. Sibelius' love of country, it's lakes and forests, are all conveyed in his music, even with this early symphony. Sounds of nature and grand landscapes are vividly portrayed through his unique orchestral voice.”
Seifert Performing Arts Center
44 Geremonty Drive, Salem, NH