The Bach Choir and the Philharmonia Orchestra join forces for an evening of British music full of gripping stories and stunning landscapes.

The Bach Choir: Belshazzar’s Feast

Southbank Centre

It is rare for the Czech Philharmonic to give two world premieres in the same evening but just such a programme has been planned by conductor Tomáš Netopil. Alongside Debussy’s La mer, considered as the emblematic work of musical Impressionism, the Czech Philharmonic presents the world premieres of Teml’s The Labyrinth of Memory and Blackford’s Cello Concerto played by dedicatee Alisa Weilerstein.

EPSG:4326

Czech Philharmonic • Alisa Weilerstein

Rudolfinum

### Event Description: Musical Planet

**Event:** Musical Planet  
**Date:** Friday, 29 September 2023  
**Time:** 6:30 PM  
**Venue:** Assembly Hall, Worthing  
**Conductor:** John Gibbons  
**Leader:** Julian Leaper  

**Program:**
- **Saint-Saëns:** Carnival of the Animals
- **Richard Blackford:** The Great Animal Orchestra
- **Rimsky-Korsakov:** Flight of the BumbleBee
- **Beethoven:** Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"

**Event Overview:**
The Worthing Symphony Orchestra’s 2023/24 Season opens with a spectacular concert titled "Musical Planet." This event features a diverse and captivating program that promises to enchant audiences with its celebration of nature and wildlife through music.

**Highlights:**
- **Richard Blackford’s The Great Animal Orchestra:** This unique symphony integrates wild soundscapes with orchestral music, inspired by Bernie Krause’s concept of "biophony"—the collective sounds of organisms in their natural habitats. The piece includes sounds from various animals such as Bearded Arctic Seals, Humpback Whales, and African Forest Elephants, creating a concerto for animals and orchestra.
- **Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals:** Known for its charming and beloved pieces, including "The Swan," this work is a perennial favorite.
- **Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the BumbleBee:** A dazzling display of virtuosity, this piece is instantly recognizable and always thrilling.
- **Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral":** Reflecting Beethoven’s love for nature, this symphony is filled with the sounds of the countryside, including bird calls and a thunderstorm, famously featured in Disney’s original Fantasia movie.

**Tickets:** [Buy Tickets](#)

Join us for an evening where music and nature converge, offering a unique auditory experience that celebrates the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

Richard Blackford

Events

Past events

May 8, 2025

The Bach Choir: Belshazzar’s Feast · Philharmonia Orchestra

5 - 7 Feb, 2025

Czech Philharmonic • Alisa Weilerstein · Czech Philharmonic

About

Richard Blackford hasn't added a bio