From Darkness to Light Vaughan Williams, Mendelssohn, Massenet, Bizet

Weymouth Pavilion, Weymouth

Vaughan Williams’ quintessentially English variations on the eponymous folk song weave a tapestry that will transport your soul. Sumptuous string writing and sweeping melodies are underpinned by rich, resonant harmonies, ultimately reaching celestial redemption, radiant with shimmering sunlight. There is perhaps no more popular or beloved violin concerto than Mendelssohn’s masterpiece. Taking a journey from darkness to light, it begins restless, mysterious and questioning, and ends in a blaze of colour, full of joy and exhilaration, sustained by virtuosic melodies and lively interplay between soloist and orchestra. Massenet’s contemplative Meditation is one of the most dramatic violin solos in all operatic literature. Its soaring melodies, and pulsating emotion have made it a favourite of violinists and a hugely popular standalone piece. Written in a single month, Bizet’s polished gem of a symphony is remarkable not so much for its originality, but for its skilful reworking of others’ designs. It is a brilliant work that shows a grasp of unity and overall design that was remarkable for a seventeen-year-old composer.