It has never been agreed whether the Symphonic Prelude was written by Bruckner or Mahler but either way it’s a great way to start a concert. Elgar in the South, while written in and influenced by the local music of Liguria is unmistakably Elgar with its wistful, poignant viola solo. And in the second half we travel to Bohemia for two of its most celebrated sons. Kodály’s Dances is based on the folk music of Galanta, now part of Slovakia. Dvořák was an enthusiast of the folk music of Moravia and his eighth symphony is one of the warmest, most optimistic in his symphonic cycle.
