Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra: Symphonic Landscapes

WPO continues its ongoing cycle of Sibelius symphonies with the composer's very first, in which his highly individual voice within the symphonic landscape begins to emerge. The music itself also seems to conjure up something of Finland's vast landscape. 

Elgar's In The South, styled a 'Concert Overture' but in effect almost a tone poem, is a response to the Italian countryside, and was written while Elgar stayed in Italy on a family holiday. It is music of enormous sweep and vigour, with all of Elgar's customary viruosso orchestral scoring on display. 

Ruth Gipps's Horn Concerto could be said now to have firmly entered the mainstream repertoire for this instrument, and her remarkable music is at least gaining some of the attention it deserves. We welcome soloist Alexei Watkins, a regular guest Principal Horn for many of the UK's finest professional orchestras, for his debut performance with WPO. 

Programme

• Elgar: In the South
• Gibbs: Horn Concerto
• Sibelius: Symphony No.1

Alexei Watkins, Horn Soloist

Dominic Grier, Conductor