Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pathetique’ Symphony and Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder

The Clifton International Festival of Music 2024 is brought to a close with singing sensation Helen Charlston and the Bristol Symphony Orchestra.

BBC Music Magazine’s Vocal award winner 2023 delights in Mahler’s profoundly moving Rückert-Lieder, a collection of five songs based on poems by Friedrich Rückert, which delve into themes of love, loss, and existential reflection with profound intensity. Through lush orchestrations and haunting melodies, Mahler's music captures the essence of Rückert's poetry, resonating with universal human experiences of longing and loss.

The dynamism of Bristol Symphony Orchestra will be on full display as they present Tchaikovsky’s deeply personal Symphony No 6 in B minor, known as the ‘Pathétique’, known for its passionate melodies and harmonic intensity, reflecting the deeply personal struggles of the composer.

The programme also features Maurice Ravel's 'Le tombeau de Couperin', a heartfelt tribute to François Couperin and fallen friends of World War I. The work blends Baroque influences with Ravel's unique harmonic palette to create a work of profound beauty.

“one of the most exciting voices in the new generation of British singers…” - Gramophone