Britten Sinfonia & James Macmillan

Described by the Observer as "peerless", chamber orchestra Britten Sinfonia makes its Schwarzman Centre debut with composer-conductor Sir James MacMillan, presenting his new euphonium concerto and an arrangement of one of Beethoven's greatest quartets. 

Inspired by MacMillan’s childhood in the Ayrshire mining town of Cumnock, the concerto Where the Lugar meets the Glaisnock places the euphonium’s rich, warm sound at the heart of the orchestra, bringing together the distinct musical worlds of the orchestra and the brass band. The concerto is dedicated to both tonight’s soloist, the undisputed master of his instrument, David Childs, and MacMillan’s euphonium-playing grandfather. 

After Britten’s sparkling opener from 1943, we hear an energetic neoclassical concerto grosso by Grażyna Bacewicz, dubbed “The First Lady of Polish Music” and conclude with an orchestral reimagining of Beethoven’s extraordinary late work String Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131. Written late in his life and reportedly Beethoven’s own favourite, the quartet unfolds across seven uninterrupted movements. 

Repertoire 

Benjamin Britten Prelude and Fugue Op.29 9’ 

Grażyna Bacewicz Concerto for strings 14' 

James MacMillan Euphonium Concerto: Where the Lugar meets the Glaisnock 18’

Interval 

Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet Op.131 (arr. string orchestra) 40' 

Performers 

David Childs euphonium

Britten Sinfonia orchestra 

James MacMIllan conductor