Beethoven’s Pastoral & Mozart Piano Concerto

Mendelssohn The Hebrides Overture ‘Fingal’s Cave’, Op. 26

Delius On hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K488

Beethoven Symphony No. 6 in F, Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’

Performed by the Blaze Ensemble — celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2026 — under the baton of George Vass, this concert offers a feast of some of the most loved nature-inspired orchestral music ever written. Mendelssohn was known to be heavily influenced by landscape, and his 1829 trip to Fingal’s Cave brought forth the stunning Hebrides Overture, whose sweeping melodies and masterful orchestration cannot fail to evoke dramatic Scottish scenery. Delius’ short but exquisite tone poem, On hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring, was described by Thomas Beecham as having “touched perfection”.

The outstanding young German pianist, Anjulie Chen, joins the Blaze Ensemble for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23. Widely regarded as one of Mozart’s most brilliant works, the second movement, the Adagio, is a particular highlight, its heartbreaking poignancy contrasting with the buoyancy of the other movements, achieved through Mozart’s rare use of the key of F-sharp minor.

The evening ends with Beethoven’s magnificent Pastoral symphony, nicknamed by the composer himself, who went so far as to note specific bird calls in the score. Each of the five movements features an explanatory title (a unique feature in Beethoven’s works) and reflects feelings of being in the countryside. Throughout the concert we hear literary reflections that chime with these themes — including from Beethoven’s exact contemporary, William Wordsworth, whose own pastoral works are among his most well known.

Photo above: Anjulie Chen