Leicester: Santtu conducts Beethoven and Reich

The evening opens with John Adams's brief, high-intensity orchestral fanfare, which serves as a motoric catalyst for the music to follow. You will hear a steady, pulsing woodblock heartbeat that drives the ensemble through dense brass textures and rapid-fire strings. This mechanical energy shifts into the familiar structures of the classical era with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. While this work respects the symphonic traditions of the time, listen for the composer's emerging boldness in the unexpected harmonic opening and the light, dancing character of the third movement. The second half of the concert is dedicated to Steve Reich’s The Desert Music. This is a substantial, hypnotic work for choir and large orchestra that uses repetitive patterns to create a vast, shimmering landscape of sound. We suggest focusing on how the voices are treated as instruments, weaving in and out of the orchestral fabric to create a continuous, immersive pulse that defines the contemporary minimal style.

The Philharmonia Orchestra is a resident ensemble at London’s Southbank Centre but maintains a significant presence across the UK, including a long-standing partnership with audiences in Leicester. They are joined by their Principal Conductor, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, who has become known for his energetic and physically expressive style on the podium. The ensemble is celebrated for its versatility, appearing as comfortable with the rhythmic precision required for modern American minimalism as they are with the core German symphonic repertoire. This performance showcases their ability to balance chamber-like clarity with the sheer power needed for large-scale twentieth-century masterpieces.

This orchestral concert takes place at De Montfort Hall in Leicester and has a total running time of approximately 105 minutes. This duration typically includes an interval between the Beethoven symphony and the Reich piece. The varied nature of the music, ranging from short, rhythmic bursts to a classical symphony, makes the first half particularly accessible if you are new to orchestral performances. There is no specific dress code for this venue, and most attendees opt for smart-casual attire. Please note that the main work in the second half features vocalists, though it is performed as a concert piece rather than a staged drama.