Ulster Orchestra: Wild Echoes
Ulster Orchestra
- Great for groups
- Under 90 mins
- First-timer friendly
- Early finish
- Date
- Fri, 15 Jan 2027
- Time
- 19:30 · 1h 30m
- Venue
- Ulster Hall
- City
- Belfast
- Conductor
- Anna Handler
- Tickets
- from £10
You'll be taken to the ensemble's official site.
Summary
Anna Handler conducts the Ulster Orchestra at Ulster Hall, featuring horn player Stefan Dohr and tenor Sebastian Hill in works by Britten, Mozart and Brahms.
Why it's fantastic
Hear Berlin Philharmonic principal Stefan Dohr showcase the horn’s versatility, moving from Mozart’s cheerful, gallop-like melodies to the haunting twilight moods of Britten’s nocturnal song cycle. The evening concludes with Brahms’s final symphony, a monumental work that builds towards a powerful and inevitably moving conclusion over its four dramatic movements.
Our guide to this performance
What you'll hear
We are guided through three distinct sound worlds in this evening’s performance, starting with the bright energy of Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4. You will hear the horn used in its most classic, athletic form, particularly in the final movement which suggests a lively hunting scene. This is followed by Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. Here, the instrument takes on a more mysterious quality, weaving around the tenor voice to create a sense of nightfall and shadows. The mood shifts for the second half as the full orchestra performs Brahms’s Symphony No. 4. As the composer’s final symphonic work, it is grounded in tradition but feels deeply personal. Listen for the way the woodwinds and strings trade melodies in the opening movement, and the steady, repeating bassline in the finale that provides the framework for a series of increasingly intense variations. The evening travels from light-hearted virtuosity to a profound and weighty conclusion.
Who's performing
The Ulster Orchestra is joined by conductor Anna Handler for this performance. As Northern Ireland's flagship symphony orchestra, the ensemble is known for its versatility and its regular presence at the historic Ulster Hall in Belfast. The evening features two guest soloists: tenor Sebastian Hill and horn player Stefan Dohr. Hill brings his vocal clarity to the Britten song cycle, while Dohr, widely recognised as one of the world's leading horn players, demonstrates his technical skill across both the classical elegance of Mozart and the evocative textures required for the 20th-century repertoire.
Planning your evening
This concert takes place at the Ulster Hall in Belfast. The performance has a total duration of approximately 90 minutes, making it a manageable length for a Friday evening out. The combination of well-known classical melodies and a major Romantic symphony makes this a suitable choice if you are relatively new to orchestral music. There is no formal dress code required at this venue. While there is a vocal element during the Britten piece, the text is in English, so you will be able to follow the poetry easily as the music unfolds.
Written by the Bravura editorial team from the ensemble's published programme and venue information. We don't reproduce copy from box-office sites. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Programme
- 01Benjamin Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
- 02Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Horn Concerto No. 4
- 03Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 4
Soloists
- Stefan Dohr
- Sebastian Hill
