Concert 1 - "Vive l'Empereur!"

R. Glière: Octet in G Major, Op. 5
F. Schubert: “Die Befreier Europa's in Paris”, D104
“Einsamkeit (from “Winterreise”), D. 911
“Die Liebe hat gelogen”, D. 751
“Nacht und Traüme”, D. 827
“Die Allmacht”, D. 852

A. Schoenberg: “Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte”, Op. 41
J. Brahms: Three Intermezzi, Op. 117
J. Crabb: Scottish Traditional Folk Music

We begin the Festival with a partially themed concert highlighting Napoleon. Following a beautiful Octet for Strings by Gliere, Alex Aldren sings Schubert’s celebration of the overthrow of Napoleon and entry into Paris by the Russian, Prussian and Austrian armies. There follow other songs, selected to imagine Napoleon in exile on the island of Elba, moving through loneliness, the loss of his wife, acceptance and then defiance, as he plans his escape and return to power. After the interval Schoenberg’s remarkable “Ode” will cleanse your musical palate before we end with the return of one of Schoenberg’s idols, Brahms, and a rousing send off with some Scottish jigs, Strathspeys and reels from our returning accordionist in residence, James Crabb.