Orchestra Celebrates Composer’s Anniversaries (By Chris Saunders)

CRENDON Chamber Orchestra will be celebrating two notable composers? anniversaries during their next concert on Saturday 11th February, at St. Mary?s Church, Thame, at 8pm.

The programme will start with Arensky?s Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky. Arensky was a great friend of Tchaikovsky and Arensky dedicated this delightful piece to his friend?s memory. This February marks the 100th anniversary of Arensky?s death and these lovely variations, which allow the orchestra to show off the full spectrum of string-playing, is a fitting tribute to him.

We will also be performing Mozart?s enormously popular Horn Concerto No.4 in E-Flat Major (K. 495). If you are familiar with Flanders? and Swann?s version of the final rondo, then this is a chance to hear the whole concerto, this time with the french horn! The orchestra will be joined by sparkling young horn soloist Mark Almond, and this is our tribute to the 250th anniversary of Mozart?s birth.

We will conclude our concert with Tchaikovsky?s Serenade for Strings. The piece encompasses a huge variety of moods and styles, including the elegant Waltz, which had to be encored in its first public performance in St. Petersburg in 1881. It remains a favourite to this day and provides a fabulous conclusion to our programme.

Tickets are