CSO presents “Ives, Beethoven”

CSO presents “Ives, Beethoven” on Saturday 11th May 2024, 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. at Douglas Lilburn Auditorium, Christchurch Town Hall, Kilmore Street, Christchurch

This musical pairing of old and new features two masterpieces composed 100 years apart, celebrating both European and American musical traditions. We welcome renowned German conductor Johannes Fritzsch to CSO for the first time – he is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

Hailed by The Strad for her “blazing insight and dazzling virtuosity,” Aotearoa New Zealand’s cherished violinist Amalia Hall performs Beethoven’s only major work for solo violin and orchestra. It was composed during a period of intense creativity in 1806 and was revolutionary for its time, inviting the listener into a world of intimate dialogue between soloist and ensemble.

Charles Ives had just moved to New York at the turn of the twentieth century, stepping into an electrifying world of scientific and social progress. This was when he began writing his Second Symphony – a work that would take him 12 years to complete. It is both lyrical and lively and displays his penchant for ‘borrowing’ – audiences may recognise hymn tunes, marches, and popular songs sprinkled throughout.

Johannes Fritzsch: Conductor
Amalia Hall: Violin
Ives: Symphony No. 2
Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D Major Op. 6

Website: http://www.cso.co.nz