Orchestra of the Swan: Rococo

Rococo bursts into life with American composer Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst, a multidimensional soundscape in which exploding gestures are juxtaposed with gentle fleeting melodies.

Two fiery sets of variations for solo cello and orchestra are presented here in new arrangements; Variations on a Rococo Theme, the closest Tchaikovsky came to writing a Cello Concerto and Martinů’s wickedly beguiling set of variations based on a melody from Rossini’s opera, Moses in Egypt.

Tchaikovsky’s radiant Serenade for Strings, in which he succeeded in combining his adoration of Mozartian elegance with the simplicity of Russian folk tunes, provides an electrifying conclusion.

Jessie Montgomery – Starburst
Warlock – Capriol Suite
Tchaikovsky arr. Le Page – Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op.33
Martinů arr. Le Page  – Variations on a Theme of Rossini
Tchaikovsky – Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op.48

Cello: Matthew Sharp
Director: David Le Page