Keeping it Simple

Evening Music | May 6, 2010
Benjamin Britten excelled at dressing up simple music in spectacular new "clothes" — while maintaining the clarity and form of the original. Case in point: he based his "Simple Symphony" on themes he wrote as a child (he was barely into his twenties when he put it all together). Tonight we'll hear this charming work in a flawless performance from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

We'll also hear from England's other great composer (who lived 300 years before Britten), Henry Purcell. Andrew Parrot leads the Taverner Players in Purcell's "Suite of Theater Music." Featured prominently tonight are several works for piano: Elena Riu, Stephen Hough, and Maurizio Pollini bring their respective talents to music by Federico Mompou, Johann Nepomuk Hummel, and Frederic Chopin.

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