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appreciation music new music the orchestra world

on witches and sprites

Last night we performed the first of our three concerts of Classical 8 – whose program is:

James MacMillanThe Confession of Isobel Gowdie (Oregon premiere)
Felix Mendelssohn – Complete Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream

It wouldn’t have occurred to me without hearing Carlos mention it in his remarks before the performance, but the two pieces are linked by the theme of witches. I think they could also be linked by the premise that they are just about as diametrically opposed as two pieces can be in terms of their aesthetic and their basic view of the world.