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Press Releases
91Èȱ¬ Scottish Symphony Orchestra takes to the stars
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Glasgow Season opens Thursday 20 September 2007, 7.30pm
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Part two of concert, Holst's The Planets, broadcast live on 91Èȱ¬ Two Scotland at
8.30pm
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The opening concert of the 91Èȱ¬ Scottish Symphony Orchestra's Thursday
Night Series at City Halls, Glasgow is inspired by heavenly bodies, centred on
Gustav Holst's unforgettable portraits of The Planets, conducted by Ilan
Volkov.
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Regularly voted one of the most popular classical works ever, the
scores for both Star Wars and Gladiator are inspired by The Planet's
relentless opening movement, Mars.
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Ravel complained that people only associated him with Bolero, Elgar never
approved of Land Of Hope And Glory as an anthem of empire and Holst hated
the world-wide popularity of The Planets, yet it is undoubtedly one of
the great achievements of British music – a work of great imagination,
originality, ambition and skill.
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Inspired by Holst's life-long interest
in astrology, each movement depicts the character of each of the planets
according to ancient astrological writings, rather than the way they
appear in the night sky.
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The Planets, which forms the second half of the
concert, will be televised live on 91Èȱ¬ Two Scotland.
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The orchestra and its Chief Conductor, Ilan Volkov, pair The Planets with
a recently composed companion piece Saariaho's 4179 Toutais.
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Named after
a large orbiting asteroid, this work was originally commissioned by Sir
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic as one of four works inspired by
asteroids to accompany The Planets in performance.
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Scottish pianist Steven Osborne, one of the most eloquent players in
British music, returns to City Halls to perform Britten's heavenly Piano
Concerto, following a triumphant performance of this often neglected work
with the 91Èȱ¬ SSO at the Proms.
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In a post-concert event, Steven will
preview some of the repertoire of a forthcoming CD of Britten's piano
music with the 91Èȱ¬ SSO, which will include the Piano Concerto and Young
Apollo.
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Notes to Editors
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Thursday 20 September
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91Èȱ¬ Scottish Symphony Orchestra Thursday Night Series
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City Halls, Glasgow, 7.30pm
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Kaija Saariaho's Asteroid 4179: Toutatis (UK premiere)
Britten's Piano Concerto
Holst's The Planets*
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* Live broadcast on 91Èȱ¬ Two Scotland
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* Ladies of the RSNO Chorus
Steven Osborne, piano
Ilan Volkov, conductor
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Pre-Concert Prelude (6.45pm in the Grand Hall):
Ilan Volkov and Gavin Reid, Director, 91Èȱ¬ SSO, look ahead to the new
season.
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Post-Concert Coda (approximately 10 minutes after main concert):
Steven Osborne and the strings of the 91Èȱ¬ SSO perform Britten's Young
Apollo. Ìý
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