Stanford à Paris
On Saturday 6th October 2018, The Ensemble Orchestral will be performing Stanford’s Clarinet Concerto and Symphony No.7. The concert will take place at 8:30pm in Église Saint-Joseph-Artisan de Paris. The soloist will be Christelle Pochet and the conductor will be Eric Van Lauwe. Find out more about the concert on our website HERE:
The concerto Clarinet Concerto in A minor, Op.80 has been performed only once in France (in Brest 22 years ago, by Philippe Cuper and the orchestra of Brittany), and Symphony No.7 will be given in first hearing in France.
Stanford’s Clarinet Concerto in A minor, Op.80 was completed in July 1902 for the principal Clarinettist of the Bayreuth and Meiningen Orchestra, Richard Mühlfeld. Stanford sent Mühlfeld the score in the same month, but when the orchestra (along with Mühlfeld) visited London in November of the same year, no indication was given that the score had been received nor did Mühlfeld pay Stanford a visit, or leave a calling card!
The following year, Stanford wrote to Mühlfeld, asking if he would kindly return the manuscript if there was no intention of performing it. The manuscript was eventually returned to Stanford and the premiere was given on 29th January 1903 with soloist Charles Draper with Stanford conducting with his left arm in a sling (having broken his wrist).
