Hello dear readers! I’m back!
Sorry, I took a twelve day break. Well, I say break, it was nothing of the sort. I went on an orchestra course. Yes, I went to band camp. It was so much fun. Full of late nights, banter, laughs, alcohol and music. It was also very hard work. Rehearsing for 8 hours a day is exhausting. Followed by 4 concerts in various places in Wales and the UK, it’s no wonder I slept for 11 hours last night.
Anyway, we played 3 pieces. 1 is a commission written for us by the Welsh composer Christopher Painter. And we then played Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss and Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz.
It was such a demanding programme, but we pulled it off. We played superbly.
You might recognise the beginning of this piece, but the rest of the music is wonderful. I’m not the biggest Strauss fan, and to be honest, I think that if I hadn’t of played it, I don’t think I would enjoy listening to it. It’s very complicated and intense. The the emotion that Strauss poured into this work is phenomenal. (This isn’t us playing it btw…..)
Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique is an amazing piece of work. It was about 50 years ahead of it’s time. Berlioz tells of a story of an artist who’s drugged up on opium, due to hopeless love, and each of the movements represents a dream that the artist has. However, it is believed that the story behind the symphony is loosely autobiographical on Berlioz’ life . The one I’ve posted here is the fifth and final movement and is my favourite. It’s called the Dream of the Witches Sabbath, and is dark and grotesque with monsters and wtiches dancing. The main theme is joined by a famous Dies Irae theme and the movement is simply fantastic and mental and amazing and great fun to play.
I hope you enjoy!
Harri xxx
Bricks Out of the Wall 