Volkslieder

MDR-Kinderchor
MDR-Sinfonieorchester
Michael Francis - conductor

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Folk Songs of the Four Seasons
Joachim Raff (1822-1882)
Symphony No. 3 in F major "Im Walde"

Vaughan Williams' Folk Songs of the Four Seasons is performed far less often than Vivaldi's famous "Four Seasons" - yet this cantata is a remarkable work. As a collector and champion of English folk song, the composer wove traditional melodies together with his distinctive harmonic language and transparent orchestration. At the premiere in the Royal Albert Hall in 1950, 3,000 singers stood on stage - the MDR-Kinderchor won't match that number, but will bring the work to full life.

The evening closes with Joachim Raff's Symphony No. 3 "Im Walde".