Sequim Gazette staff
The Port Angeles Symphony presents “An Orchestral Omnibus” on Saturday, Feb. 5, featuring Georges Bizet’s “Jeux d’enfants,” Johannes Brahms’ “Symphony No. 2 in D, Opus 73,” Gustav Holst’s “A Somerset Rhapsody,” and Gioacchino Rossini’s Overture, “The Barber of Seville.”
Two performances are held at a morning dress rehearsal at 10 a.m. and at 7:30 p.m. with a pre-concert chat at 6:40 p.m., in the Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave, Port Angeles.
Musicians
In “Jeux d’enfants,” one of Bizet’s few works written for orchestra, he evokes the world of childhood. In 1871 he composed a set of 12 pieces for piano duet and extracted five pieces to orchestrate and arrange as an orchestral suite. It comprises of the march: “Trumpets and Drums,” “The Doll,” a woodwind rockabye, “The Top,” “Little Husband, Little Wife,” and the finale “The Ball” – that musicians consider to sound more like children running around aimlessly than like any dance in the ballroom.
Brahms’ Second Symphony is a much more genial and less craggy piece than its predecessor. It acquired the name “The Pastoral” in reference to Beethoven’s Sixth. This symphony opens with four notes by the cellos and basses followed with a reply by the dusky horn. Musicians believe this symphony might be the best introduction to the orchestral music of Brahms with full and rich content, but a clear structure with moods not being too subtle or exacting.
Holst rarely was performed in his lifetime and he relied on classroom work for his income. He is most known for “The Planets,” an astrologically inspired piece. This piece symbolizes his interest in Eastern mysticism. “Somerset Rhapsody” is a more homely, folk-inspired side of Holst. He wrote much of his music thinking professional performances would never come his way, so much of his output was composed for amateur and children’s groups.
Rossini is an Italian composer best known for his operas “The Barber of Seville” and “William Tell.” The plot of “The Barber of Seville” is taken from a popular French play concerning the efforts of Count Almaviva to elope with his sweetheart Rosina against the wishes of her music master and her guardian.
Rossini disliked writing new overtures for his operas so he used the same overture for several works. The overture to “The Barber of Seville” is a revision of the overture to an earlier opera, which was borrowed from a previous opera.
Concert details
Tickets are $5 for individuals and $10 family for the dress rehearsal; and the evening concert is $20 and $25 for reserved seating and $12 for adults, $10 seniors and students for general seating.
The symphony offers charter buses from Sequim at the following locations and departure times: 5:50 p.m. The Gathering Place – Sunland;
6 p.m. The Lodge; and 6:10 p.m. at The Fifth Avenue. Call Barbara Hutter at 683-4743
for reservations.
Tickets are available at The Buzz, 130 N. Sequim Ave., Port Book and News, 104 E. First St., Port Angeles, the Port Angeles Symphony office, 216C N. Laurel St., Port Angeles, and at the door.
For more information, contact the Port Angeles Symphony at 457-5579, pasymphony@olypen.com or visit www.portangelessymphony.org.
