BBC Friday Night is Music Night Concert, in celebration of Portsmouth 100
A special programme to celebrate Portsmouth’s 100 years of city status has been announced for a one-off BBC Friday Night is Music Night concert to be performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra on Friday 5th June.
There’s music for everyone in the concert which will be performed live for BBC Radio 3 from Portsmouth Guildhall.
Orchestral favourites and unforgettable classical tunes will feature as part of the popular, long-running radio show. Old ones, new ones, loved ones and perhaps a few tunes you’ve yet to discover will make for a night to remember!
Walton’s Portsmouth Point, Mozart’s Horn Concerto No.2, Korngold’s Sea Hawk and Wiseman’s theme from Dickensian are part of the special programme which has been created to mark the city’s celebrations.
At the climax of the concert is ‘The Lion of England’ Ceremonial March, composed in 1953 by Portsmouth-born composer Freda Swain. It was written to protest that no women were invited to write music for the 1953 Coronation, and it represents female empowerment by equating Queen Elizabeth II with the King of the heraldic beasts.
George Burrows, Professor of Music and Theatre at University of Portsmouth, has reconstructed Swain’s march especially for this concert. His research of Swain’s manuscript sketches and instrumental parts, which are now in a collection in Switzerland, has allowed this piece to be performed for the first time since 1956.
Of the newly reconstructed piece, George Burrows said “It has been a privilege to work on ‘The Lion of England’ for the BBC Concert Orchestra, and I very much look forward to hearing it played live and broadcast from the Guildhall in June’s concert. Given Freda Swain’s connection to Portsmouth it is fantastic and fitting that her march will be heard as part of the Portsmouth 100 celebrations!”
Tickets to be in the audience for the BBC Friday Night is Music Night concert which will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, are priced from just £20 with a special Under 25s price of just £5.
Will sell out – book here now!
