Strings of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Michael Seal conductor
Duncan Riddell leader

Jessie Montgomery Starburst
Mendelssohn String Symphony No. 10 in B minor
Ireland Concertino Pastorale for String Orchestra
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings in C major Op. 43

The acclaimed musicians of the RPO explore the soundworld of works for string orchestra in all its elegance. From Mendelssohn’s backward glance at the world of Bach and Haydn to the exuberant momentum of the contemporary American composer Jessie Montgomery, they chart a course through 200 years of irresistible melody and eloquence.

Mendelssohn was just 14 when he wrote his String Symphony No. 10, which combines serenity and dramatic dash alongside the composer’s trademark tunefulness. In contrast, the Concertino Pastorale is a work of full-flowered maturity, displaying all the delicately drawn moods and textures that make Ireland one of the greats of 20th-century English music. Tchaikovsky’s Serenade contains the famous ‘Waltz’, a loved and lilting melody that leavens the dignity of the other movements.

These classical masterpieces are spiced with Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst, a lively miniature of Baroque intricacy which propels the string repertoire into the 21st century with infectious zeal.