The professional orchestra of
West Sussex
SHEKU KANNEH-MASON
Cello
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ASSEMBLY HALL, WORTHING
Sunday 20th October 2019 at 2.45pm
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Haydn Symphony No. 96 in D ‘The Miracle’
Satie Gymnopedies No. 1
Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto in A minor
Delibes Pizzicato (Sylvia)
Fauré Symphony No. 3
Beethoven Symphony No. 7
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Following Sheku Kanneh-Mason's sell-out performance with WSO in March 2018, he returns to Worthing to play Camille Saint-Saëns' popular Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor.
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The concerto was written in 1872 when the composer was 37 years old. Saint-Saëns wrote the work for Belgian cellist August Tolbecque, who first performed it at the Paris Conservatoire concert in January 1873. This was considered a mark of Saint-Saëns growing acceptance by the French musical establishment. Sir Donald Francis Tovey later wrote "Here for once is a violoncello concerto in which the solo instrument displays every register without the slightest difficulty in penetrating the orchestra". Many composers including Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff, considered it to be the greatest of all cello concertos.
Haydn’s Symphony No. 96 in D ‘The Miracle’ was the first of twelve symphonies written during his first visit to London. Satie’s Gymnopedies No. 1 is an austere but elegant composition for piano whilst Fauré’s Pavane was originally written for piano but is perhaps better known for orchestral and (optional) choral versions. The Pizzicato from Delibes ballet Sylvia appears in the third act when the Greek gods are intervening in mortal love affairs and was famously used in Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 was dubbed “the apotheosis of dance” by Wagner as rhythm is the essence of this majestic symphony, which many will be familiar with through its use throughout the film The King’s Speech.
SHEKU KANNEH-MASON
.... is one of the brightest young stars on the classical music scene and winner of the 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition. He is in great demand from major orchestras and concert halls worldwide. His debut recording for Decca Classics - Inspiration - was released in January 2018 and th phenomenal success of the album propelled Sheku to number one in the classical chart.
Sheku's own arrangement of Bob Marley's No Woman No Cry was featured on the album and went viral on social media, clocking one million streams in its first month on Spotify alone.
He famously performed at Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in May 2018. During the signing of the register, the 19-year-old cellist and orchestra played Sicilienne attributed to Maria Theresa von Paradis, Fauré's Apres un Reve and an arrangement for cello and orchestra of Schubert's Ave Maria.
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