An American Overture

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and conductor Tomas Djupsjöbacka perform Britten's American Overture, Weber's Second Symphony and Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. Saxophonist Stephen Banks joins the Orchestra as soloist for the UK premiere of Joan Towers' Love Returns.

Presented by Alexandra Humphreys and recorded in BBC Hoddinott Hall on the 12th of March.

Britten: An American Overture
Joan Tower: Love Returns

Interval

Weber: Symphony No.2 in C major, J.51
Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber

Steven Banks (Saxophone)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Tomas Djupsjöbacka (conductor)

For his debut with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conductor Tomas Djupsjöbacka brings a programme that celebrates two very different anniversary years. The first half pays tribute to the 250th anniversary of America's signing of the Declaration of Independence, initially with Britten's so-called American Overture, which he wrote for the Cleveland Orchestra while living in the United States during the Second World War. Following this, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales will be joined by Stephen Banks for the UK Premiere of a saxophone concerto by American Composer Joan Tower, a piece which was co-commissioned by BBC Radio 3. Titled Love Returns, the concerto is set as a theme and variations based on her solo piano piece, Love Letters, which she wrote as a tribute following the death of her husband in 2022.

The second half turns to the music of Carl Maria von Weber, who was born just 10 years after the American Declaration of Independence. To mark his 240th year, the Orchestra play his final symphony, the Second, and Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber. Hindemith took themes from Weber's incidental music to Turandot and four of his piano duets, and while Hindemith kept the themes intact, he expanded on them so greatly as to create a work which is inimitably Hindemith.

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