Concert report and analysis

Concert Report & Summary - London

Concert Performer: The Grand Tour, London

Concert Location: Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California

Type of Concert: Classical symphony

Concert Summary:

Handel: Coronation Anthem No. 1, "Zadok the Priest." Given the fact that this is the music that has been played at all coronations of British monarchs since that of King George II, in the 18th century, it is obvious that this is a very jovial, fast piece, where the listener has to receive the jubilating character of the piece. The work is grandiose and ceremonial, in tone with the occasion it is generally played on.

Handel: "His Mighty Arm" and "Waft Her, Angels" from Jephtha. The two pieces played from Jephta are both in tone with the strong emotions that the main character, Jephtha, goes through in the oratorio. The first piece gives important details about Jephtha: his strength, his dedication, his courage. The piece is thus very bold and brash, in strong antithesis with the second piece, "Waft Her, Angels," where the main character is desolate and distressed on his daughter's potential sacrifice. The music here is tender and mellow, reflecting the overall sadness.

Handel: "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" from Solomon. This piece is a combination of boldness and pure intriguing music. Solomon's alto combination with the queen's soprano gives out a very enjoyable musical coloring.

Handel: "Where'er you Walk" from Semele. This is a very dramatic musical piece of work, whose strength can be thoroughly felt throughout the music. It is bold, to support a dramatic stance felt throughout the music.

Handel: "Sound an Alarm," "See the conqu'ring hero comes," March, and "Sing unto God" from Judas Maccabaeus. These pieces celebrate the extraordinary victory of Judas Maccabaeus over the Seleucids and this is why the pieces are glorious, fast in style and expressing happiness and joy at the victor's successes. The music is bold and vibrant, in a show of faith towards the leader.

Haydn: The Storm ("Hark, the Wild Uproar of the Winds"), Cantata Hob. XXIVa/8. This is a short cantata for chorus and orchestra, with a very vibrant presence from the strings in the orchestra. These give the piece an impressive musicality and the capacity to purely vibrate throughout the work.

Mozart: Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, K. 16. The symphony is a combination of the usual joyful music that Mozart composes and several introductions of dramatic counterparts, especially, in this case, the middle andante movement, quite grave in its approach.

Mozart: Concert Aria "Va, dal furor portata," K. 21. This is a vibrant cantata, with dramatic implications for the listener.

Arne: Suite from Alfred. There is no need for Rule Britannia, for example, the final piece from Alfred, a piece encompassing the British idealism of grandiose domination. Bold and brash, the piece truly resonates at the end of the show.

Personal Reflection:

The concert was a thrilling experience, because of many different reasons. First of all, the variety of the pieces included in the repertoire is high enough to keep anybody on their feet. From Handel's occasional sumptuous pieces to Mozart's playfulness and, at times, grave approaches in some of the pieces, the concert was excellently balanced to include any individual preferences.

On the other hand, the concert was quite generous in the variety of instruments used as well, together with a generous combination of cantata and purely orchestral pieces. From this perspective, the listener never has the time to get bored, because the music is not monotonous, but rather intriguing and well put into play.

Another reason why this was very enjoyable is related to the fact that this concerto was made up entirely of 18th century pieces, so, from this perspective, there is a certain unity in the pieces that were played. Despite this obvious unity, there is also a strong sense of diversity, with the musical pieces differing depending on the expressions lived by the composer, the actual action in the libretto etc.