Resonance Ensemble presents “Rebellious Russians”

Resonance Ensemble presents “Rebellious Russians” on Thursday 21st November 2024, 7.30 p.m. at The Piano, 156 Armagh Street, Christchurch

We are excited to have the wonderfully talented Gabriel Baird join the orchestra for our last concert of 2024.  Gabriel will play Shostakovich’s exciting and fun-filled 2nd Piano Concerto.

Gabriel lives and breathes piano, as a prolific soloist, accompanist and collaborator, as well as an improvising musician at the Court Theatre.

He recently gained his Bachelor of Music from the University of Canterbury, where he honed his skills as composer, arranger and musical collaborator.

You may also have seen Gabe performing with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Bassoon.

Coincidentally, Shostakovich’s 2nd Piano Concerto opens with bassoon, joined with other woodwinds playing the cheery theme before the piano joins in.

This piece was written as a gift for Shostakovich’s son Maxim to celebrate his graduation from the Moscow Conservatory and was premiered by Maxim on his 19th birthday (10 May 1957).

The exciting and fun-filled opening and closing Allegro movements enclose the beautiful and romantic second movement, making this piece a delightful feature of our programme.

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Igor Stravinsky  originally wrote our opening piece, his Suite No 2, as “easy piano duets” for his two children, Theodore and Mika.  He orchestrated the piece in four movements as incidental music for a Paris music hall, with dedications to composers Alfredo Cassella, Eric Satie and ballet impressario, Serge Diaghilev.

Borodin composed In the Steppes of Central Asia, in 1880, intended as background to the silver anniversary celebration of the reign of Tsar Alexander III.  Borodin wrote this in the score:
“Out of the silence of Central Asia come the sounds of a peaceful Russian song. There are heard, too, the melancholy strains of Eastern melodies and the stamping of approaching horses and camels. A caravan, escorted by Russian soldiers, crosses the measureless desert, pursuing its way, free from care, under the protection of Russian arms. The caravan moves ever forward. The songs of the Russians and those of the Asia locals mingle in common harmony, their refrain gradually dying away in the distance.”

Shostakovich 
Jazz Suite No 2 (aka Suite for Variety Orchestra) completes our programme in 8 movements of marches, polkas and waltzes, arranged from scores set for ballet, theatre and cinema, with the familiar Waltz II, recognisable as a theme to Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut and hosts of arrangements for other groups.

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with no booking fees at Humanitix