Hans Graf conducts The London Philharmonic Orchestra

Stravinsky - Symphony of Psalms
Orff - Carmina Burana

Hans Graf - conductor
Sally Matthews - soprano
Andrew Kennedy - tenor
Rodion Pogossov - baritone
London Philharmonic Choir
Trinity Boys Choir

In 1935 Carl Orff encountered a vivid set of poems charting the outlandish pursuits of hedonistic students and monks, the medieval ‘golliards’. The texts, by the golliards themselves, captivated the composer. They found a home in the ritualistic, Stravinsky-influenced style Orff had been honing: full of motoric patterns, driving energy, percussive sprinklings and distinct orchestral colours, much of which can be traced directly to Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms. But alongside its imposing shapes and furious rhythms, Carmina Burana has haunting tenderness and biting humour, too. This concert presents a rare opportunity to hear it alongside its most fertile and inspiring influence.

Free pre-concert discussion | 6.15pm–6.45pm | Royal Festival Hall
Hans Graf looks at Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms and the lasting appeal of Carmina Burana.