180703 – Toronto Concert Orchestra

This perennial favourite focuses on the orchestra’s string section: John Ireland’s Minuet from A Downland Suite and a set of traditional folk songs arranged by John Rutter in his own inimitable style. Also, the Canadian premiere of Khadija Zeynalova’s Journey to Love and harpist, Andrew Chan, performing Handel’s Harp Concerto in B-flat.

PROGRAMME

William Boyce | Symphony No.1 in B-flat Major
John Ireland | Minuet from "A Downland Suite"
John Rutter | Suite for Strings
George Frideric Handel | Harp Concerto in B-flat Major, Op.4 No.6, HWV 294

Intermission

Khadija Zeynalova | Journey to Love
Gaetano Donizetti | Allegro for Strings in C Major

Conductor | Kerry Stratton
Harp Soloist | Andrew Chan

PROGRAMME NOTES
Prepared by TCO's Assistant Conductor, Surinder S. Mundra

“If music be the food of love, play on.” William Shakespeare

This programme is dominated with music by composers from that great and large isle that lies in the Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. Music given to the world by those towering giants that changed our musical landscape forever just as the land from which they came changed the world irreversibly some time ago.

The theme of String Serenade brings to life the elusive spirit of this land. It is an elusiveness that Rudyard Kipling describes when he writes, “What should they know of England, who only England know?”

At once, we squarely encounter in the music, pastoral scenes, lush greenery, English gardens, the beauty of the isle. On the other hand, we experience in this music, great ceremony and regality from an empire that at one time ruled over many nations for better and for worse.

William Boyce, John Ireland, John Rutter, and George Frideric Handel all seem to distill the very essence of English imagery (including either folk melodies, ceremoniousness, and/or nature) in their musical compositions. The former three however certainly owe much to the genius of Handel.

Handel was not just a man; he was a musical Prometheus who snatched fire from the gods and gifted it to humanity. He established a style synonymous with English tastes and sensibilities, and then expanded beyond its borders in as much the same way as the empire did!

Yet it would be unfair to give Handel entirely to Britain. He was a German inspired by Italian opera, entranced by the avant-garde of French musical tastes. Handel took it all in while cultivating his own craft and art. Though he would settle in England for the bulk of his career until his death, Handel was a cosmopolitan. His musical message was for all of humanity. Who does not know the triumphal and uplifting Hallelujah Chorus or his great harp Concerto (performed tonight)?

There is something exclusively unique in all of tonight's music that can only be described as English. At the same time, we will hear something so universal in the melodies that we all can appreciate and love.

String Serenade hopes to calm your spirit and transport you to a distant land as you listen in the open air to some of the finest music ever written.

In the full knowledge that wonderful orchestral music is not solely a gift of our past, Toronto Concert Orchestra is a proud supporter of, and believer in, the new music of fine living composers. As such we will share with you, Journey of Love, by composer, Khadija Zeynalova.

“Where there is one Englishman there is a garden. Where there are two Englishmen there is a club. But this does not mean any falling off in the number of gardens. There will be three. The club will have one too.” A. W. Smith

STRING SERENADE

Week 5 | Casa Loma Symphony in the Gardens Series