Oliver Knussen Day, part II | Britten Pears Arts

The second of three concerts celebrating composer and conductor Oliver Knussen.

We present three concerts over the course of a day celebrating the great composer and conductor Oliver Knussen, a figure at the heart of the Aldeburgh Festival for many decades, in the month that would have seen his 70th birthday. In addition to Knussen’s music, the programmes feature music by composers who were particularly close to him, including special musical tributes for solo cello by his close composer friends and colleagues.

All the performers have connections to Knussen as a composer and conductor, and the three concerts together form an introduction to his world and an upbeat to the evening’s BBC Symphony Orchestra concert.

Oliver Knussen:: Whitman Songs (10)
Oliver Knussen:: Tarantella (1)
Sean Shepherd:: New piece for solo cello (first performance) (4)
Rob Zuidam:: New piece for solo cello (first performance) (4)
Philip Cashian:: The Art of Memory (first UK performance) (6)
Alexander Goehr:: Four Duos (first performance) (10)
Poul Ruders:: Last Post - a tune for Olly (first UK performance) (3)
Oliver Knussen:: Eccentric Melody (2)
Ryan Wigglesworth:: New piece for solo cello (first performance)
Maurice Ravel:: Sonata for violin and piano (16)
Kaija Saariaho:: Lullaby (first UK performance) (5)
Colin Matthews:: O for soprano and piano trio (first performance, Britten Pears Arts commission) (6)