BBC Radio 3 Invitation Concert – Nordic Light: An Afternoon Serenade

PROGRAMME
Niels Gade Overture Echoes of Ossian
Wilhelm Stenhammar Serenade in F major

ROLF VERBEEK CONDUCTOR

A programme glowing with Nordic charm and Romantic colour. The concert opens with Niels Gade’s Overture – Echoes of Ossian, Op. 1, the youthful masterpiece that first brought the Danish composer to international prominence.

Inspired by the wildly popular Celtic epics attributed to the bard Ossian, Gade conjures a world of mist‑laden landscapes, atmospheric tension and vivid orchestral drama. It is music that blends imagination with brilliance, offering a stirring introduction to the soundworld of Scandinavian Romanticism.

The programme continues with Wilhelm Stenhammar’s radiant Serenade in F major, Op. 31 (rev. 1919), one of the great achievements of Swedish orchestral music. Stenhammar’s refined craftsmanship and lyrical voice shine throughout this generous, five‑movement work, which moves gracefully from light, airy dances to moments of deeper expressive warmth.

Its luminous textures and elegant phrasing give the Serenade a refreshing, restorative quality—music that invites listeners to breathe, reflect and enjoy its understated beauty.

Dutch rising star, conductor Rolf Verbeek, makes his Ulster Hall debut.