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Tchaikovsky: Fantasy-Overture ‘Romeo and Juliet’
Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme
Soloist: John Chillingworth
Shostakovich: Symphony No 5 in D minor
Next Concert
Saturday, 21st October 2023
Tchaikovsky & Shostakovich
Tickets are £18. Under 25s free.
Tickets may be purchased at the door or reserved in advance by either
‘phoning 01206 271128 or emailing a.j.arnold@outlook.com
John Chillingworth, our Principal Cellist in
Colchester Symphony Orchestra, is performing
Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme.
John’s concerto appearances have included
performances of Haydn C Major, Elgar and
Shostakovich Eb Concertos, Bruch’s Kol Nidrei and
Holst Invocation. John’s real love as a cellist,
however, is chamber music. He has given many
recitals: Brahms, Beethoven, Debussy, and Vivaldi
Sonatas are particular favourites along with the
Bach Cello Suites.
His professional career began as cellist of the
Guadagnini String Quartet, performing and
broadcasting for seven years all around Europe
and Canada
Photo; Angela Chillingworth
After the disbanding of the Quartet, for two years John was Assistant Principal Cellist of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and then spent twenty-five years as Principal Cellist of English National Opera (ENO).On leaving ENO, John moved to Suffolk and is now pursuing a varied musical career, teaching privately and at schools in Ipswich and Colchester. He is the conductor of Lexden Choral Society, Music Director of Sudbury Choral Society and is Conductor of Southend Symphony Orchestra. He also has founded a professional big band.
While Tchaikovsky wrote two concertos for the piano and one for the violin, the only work for cello and orchestra is the Rococo Variations. Written in the classical style, the Rococo variations have wonderful melodies that reflect the composer’s love of Mozart’s music. The theme is not a Rococo one but one that Tchaikovsky wrote. The Variations on a Rococo theme were first performed in November 1877 with Fitzenhagen as the soloist.
Tchaikovsky was abroad at the time, but his patron Nadezhda von Meck reported back to him that the “Press comment was very favourable”.
In his Fantasy-Overture ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Tchaikovsky’s difficult personal life and Shakespeare’s tragedy are combined in a masterpiece that includes brutal music representing the conflict between the Capulets and Montagues and a delightful love theme for Romeo and Juliet.This theme has been used in the media as a musical shorthand for love, in, for example, James Bond (Moonraker), The Simpsons, South Park, Sesame Street!
Shostakovich wrote his Fifth Symphony at a critical time, when he had to confront the peril of Stalin’s displeasure. It was first performed in November 1937 and was received with great enthusiasm and relief that his life-threatening position was reprieved.
Shostakovich publicly described the new work as “a Soviet artist’s reply to just criticism.”
His fifth symphony, however, is far from repentant and is a cry of rebellion. Shostakovich noted that many people in the first audience wept openly as they understood what the music was saying. Others, stunned by what they had heard, filed silently out of the hall after the performance, overcome by its powerful message.