We've started rehearsing a new repertoire. In June, we will be playing a fun programme! There'll be 2 concerts: one matinee on Sunday the 15th of June in the Buitensociëteit in Zutphen and one concert on Friday the 20th of June in the Boskapel Nijmegen. The programme consists of the beautiful Le Tombeau de Couperin by Ravel, followed by Prokofiev's mysterious Second Violin Concerto with Bas Treub as a soloist. The concert will end with Poulenc's unique Sinfonietta. Below is a brief summary of the programme:

Le Tombeau de Couperin was composed by Ravel as a tribute to friends who fell in the First World War. Initially, it was composed as a work for solo piano, but it was later adapted for symphony orchestra, with a prominent role for the oboe. Every movement is dedicated to a different friend and shows a distinct personality. However, Ravel iterated that he did not want to express sorrow, and made the piece into a gentle and refined suite inspired by the Baroque style of Couperin.

A few years later, in 1947, Poulenc composed his Sinfonietta after a commission by the BBC. This energetic piece with dance rhythms, Romantic melodies and satire seems to be something for everybody. The reception was initially mixed, but Poulenc seemed unbothered by this and wrote: "Don't analyse my music - love it!"