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Mozart's Symphony No 40 from Royal Northern Sinfonia

Riccardo Minasi conducts Royal Northern Sinfonia in a performance of Mozart's Symphony No 40 alongside music by Schubert and Berlioz.

Franz Schubert: Overture in the Italian Style No 2
Hector Berlioz: Les nuits d’été
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No 40

Véronique Gens (soprano)
Royal Northern Sinfonia
Riccardo Minasi (conductor)

Recorded at The Glasshouse, Gateshead on the 8th June and presented by Mark Forrest

Guest conductor Riccardo Minasi joins Royal Northern Sinfonia and singing royalty Véronique Gens in a programme exploring love and loss.

According to Schubert’s biographer, the Overture in the Italian Style No 2 only exists because of a musical bet. Watching a performance of the Rossini’s opera Tancredi with friends, Schubert declared he would have no difficulty in writing overtures of this sort. His friends took the wager and promised a glass of good wine if he succeeded. Challenge accepted, he set about immediately composing an overture for orchestra and soon followed it with a second.

The title ‘Summer Nights’ (Les nuits d’été) may suggest the sultriness of a long, hot summers evening, but Berlioz’s piece is more subtle than that. Summer here is a setting for a meditation on love, loss, heartbreak and hope, all wrapped up in absolutely sublime music, sung by soprano, Véronique Gens.

Mozart’s Symphony is full of his characteristic grace, but is at the same time one of his most tragic pieces – dark and yearning. You can tell he’s smiling on the outside, but underlying it is sadness and anger.

23 days left to listen

2 hours, 14 minutes

Last on

Last Thursday 19:30
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Franz Schubert

    Overture in the Italian Style No.2

    Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: Riccardo Minasi.

  • Hector Berlioz

    Les Nuits d'été

    Singer: Véronique Gens. Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: Riccardo Minasi.

  • Nadia Boulanger

    Trois pièces for cello and piano

    Performer: Astrig Siranossian. Performer: Daniel Barenboim.
    • Dear Mademoiselle - A Tribute to Nadia Boulanger.
    • Alpha.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No.40

    Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: Riccardo Minasi.

  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Trio, D 898

    Ensemble: ATOS Trio.

Broadcast

  • Last Thursday 19:30
    ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3