Mysteries, Mistakes and Mischief

Family Concert: Mysteries, Mistakes and Mischief

Establishing reliable information about historical music can sometimes be very difficult, testing even the best experts. Confirming the correct composer often brings to light fine music written by composers who have long been overshadowed by their more celebrated contemporaries. The programme brings some pieces mistakenly attributed to the wrong composer.

Leys Orchestra's final concert for 2024 features soloist Kate Rendall performing 'Oboe Concerto in B flat' by the mysterious Madam Laschanzky, whose dates, first name and life story remain lost to history. This attractive three-movement work was recently restored from late eighteenth century manuscript parts discovered in a German state library.

Many supposedly 'serious' composers have shown their mischievous and witty side with music making fun of or parodying their craft, reusing music written by others, or concocting elaborate fabrications of imaginary musical history. Musical fun and a children's symphony by Mozart and Reinecke represent two examples from the standard repertoire.

The 'Unbegun Symphony' (as opposed to unfinished symphony) by Peter Schickele (a.k.a. PDQ Bach) is composed entirely of quotations from Handel and Beethoven to "You Are My Sunshine" and "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay". For those who like a challenge, there are 14 and 25 plagiarised themes in the third and fourth movements to be identified, and we guarantee you'll be humming something familiar.

Admission is free.

Programme

Mozart: A Musical Joke (2)
Schickele: Unbegun Symphony
Mozart/Abel: Symphony No. 3 (1, 2)
Beethoven/Witt: 'Jena' Symphony (4)
Laschanzky: Oboe Concerto
Reinecke: Kinder Symphonie (2)
Holst: Shooting Stars Galop