A joyful orchestral celebration

A symphony filled with warmth, optimism, and a sense of hope, just like the season it’s named after.

In writing his Symphony No 1, Robert Schumann (1810-1856) was inspired by a poem about spring by Adolf Böttger, which paints a picture of nature waking up after a long winter. Sketched over four days in January 1841 and orchestrated shortly thereafter, ‘Spring’, originally bore movement titles: The Beginning of Spring, Evening, Merry Playmates, Full Spring. Although these titles were subsequently deleted, it is useful to bear them in mind as we navigate our way through the work. Spring arrives with great fanfare (literally, note the trumpet and horn motto at the outset) in the joyous first movement, where all the colours of the orchestra are on display. The Larghetto, which is almost entirely given over to strings and winds, offers a moment of calm while the Scherzo has a lively, rustic lilt. An upward surge in the violins signals the start of ‘Full Spring’, which declares itself with commanding force. Schumann keeps things bouncing along for most of the time but reins in the tempo towards the end for a brief flute cadenza (a bird call perhaps?) before rushing headlong towards the concluding section.

PROGRAM
SCHUMANN Symphony No 1 in B-flat, Op 38, ‘Spring’ (30’)
Andante un poco maestoso – Allegro molto vivace
Larghetto –
Scherzo (Molto vivace – Molto più vivace)

MUSICIANS
Conductor Eivind Aadland
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

Federation Concert Hall, Nipaluna / Hobart
31 August 2024

TAGS
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, orchestra, TSO, Hobart, Tasmania, Norway, Classical, Orchestral, violin, brass, strings, concerto,