Wellington favourite, Diedre Irons is highlighting the bill in
Orchestra Wellington's latest in its Epic 2019 season.
Irons is performing J S Bach's first keyboard concerto, in an
arrangement which features a cadenza written by one of Bach's greatest
disciples, Johannes Brahms.
The September 21st concert at the Michael Fowler Centre, features two
other epic works from either end of the 19th century.
Beethoven's String Quartet, Op 131, which many regard as his finest,
is performed in an arrangement by the great Greek conductor, Dimitri
Mitropoulos, while the concert opens with Schoenberg's Transfigured
Night, his musical farewell to the romantic era.
Orchestra Wellington maestro Marc Taddei says he's excited to be
featuring works involving three of the great Bs of classical music.
"We've got music by Bach and Beethoven, with a cadenza by Brahms to
complete the trio".
Taddei says the orchestra is honoured to be working with Diedre Irons,
who has been one of the personalities of the country's classical music
scene for over forty years, with a passionate style that never fails
to win over an audience.
"One of the special things about this concert is all the music is an
arrangement of the original. It's not necessarily as the composers
first imagined it, but we're sure they would approve!," says Taddei.
In a special bonus, Orchestra Wellington fans coming to the
pre-concert talk will be able to hear the New Zealand String Quartet
perform Beethoven's Opus 131 in its original four instrument version,
before hearing the orchestral arrangement.
"It's not often you get two completely different takes on the same
great classical piece in one night".
Orchestra Wellington’s, Transfigured Night, at the Michael Fowler
Centre on Saturday 21 September, with Diedre Irons performing JS
Bach’s dramatic Concerto No.1 in D minor.
ORCHESTRA WELLINGTON presents Transfigured Night
Marc Taddei, Music Director
Diedre Irons, Piano
Saturday 21 September
Michael Fowler Centre, 7.30pm
Schoenberg – Verklarte Nacht
JS Bach – Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Diedre Irons, Piano
Beethoven – String Quartet No.14 orch. D. Mitropoulos