2024-VCASS-MUSIC-Choral Fantasy-Program

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It is the baroque era concerto grossi of composers such as Handel and

Corelli that Elgar seems to have had in mind when devising the structure

and style of this work. Composed in 1905, it features a string quartet of

soloists who at once play much individual material while also blending

seamlessly with the ensemble of strings providing support. The work

places significant technical demands on all players, perhaps most

obviously in the double bass part which is required to mimic much of the

fleeting writing that is easier to navigate on the much smaller violin.

Introduction and Allegro was written for the then newly established

London Symphony Orchestra with the aim of acting as a showpiece

for the ensemble’s virtuosity. It was initially received with lukewarm

enthusiasm but has evolved into a popular and beloved core work within

the chamber orchestra repertoire.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the form’s eighteenth century inspiration,

other common baroque compositional styles are employed, including

the use of constant polyphony and fugal writing. But the overall spirit,

with its soaring romantic melodies (including an old Welsh song) is

unmistakably late romantic.

Stewart Kelly

PROGRAM NOTES

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