Beethoven's Choral Symphony | Brandenburg Sinfonia with Vivace Chorus

Following our triumphant performance of Mahler’s Second Symphony in November 2017, Vivace Chorus returns to Guildford Cathedral with another firm favourite – Beethoven’s Symphony No 9.

Beethoven is widely credited as the first composer to use a choir in a symphony, and his setting of Friedrich von Schiller’s poem Ode to Joy has become one of the most recognised pieces of music in the world, adopted as the official anthem of the European Union in 1985. The symphony is viewed as one of the greatest compositions in western musical history and is currently in Classic FM’s Hall of Fame top 10.

We’re pairing this monumental work with Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms. Commissioned for the Boston Symphony Orchestra and first performed in 1930, this is an energetic, engaging and exciting work in three short movements. Stravinsky himself said: “The psalms are poems of exaltation, but also of anger and judgement, and even of curses,” and the choral passages require both dark, full-toned singing and restrained lyricism. Moving from this incantational style to the joyful freedom of the Beethoven makes for a truly memorable musical journey.

There will be a free pre-concert talk in The Chapter House 6.30 pm - we welcome back Dr Steven Berryman.