The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s first concert in Ōtautahi Christchurch in 2023, Brandenburg, features four works by Baroque music giants Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel and Georg Philipp Telemann.
Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 continues to mesmerise listeners for its timeless beauty and boldness. A highlight of the piece will be its soloist, NZSO Section Principal Flute Bridget Douglas, who will accompany the Orchestra at The Piano on 14 March.
“I've been enamoured with Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 ever since I was introduced to it at high school,” says Bridget. “It’s beautifully intimate chamber music at its absolute best.”
Telemann’s Viola Concerto is one of his most famous compositions and one of the first known concertos written specifically for viola. NZSO Associate Principal Alexander McFarlane will be the soloist for this ground-breaking work.
Brandenburg also features another superb Telemann orchestral work, his Overture Suite La Changeante, and Handel’s Concerto Grosso No.1, the first of his ‘Twelve Grand Concertos’ and among some of the finest examples of Baroque concerto grosso, written for a small group of soloists and orchestra.
After Brandenburg, the NZSO returns to Christchurch for three back-to-back concerts on 19, 20 and 21 May. Orpheus, Reverenceand Emperor at Christchurch Town Hall feature renowned English pianist Paul Lewis performing Beethoven’s complete Piano Concerto Cycle. The Orchestra will be led by acclaimed Brazilian conductor Eduardo Strausser.