Maybe more than those in any other genre, classical performances are a proposition that, in theory, should sell themselves: a stage full of highly skilled musicians mesmerically moving as one, the sounds that they summon all-enveloping and the spectacle on stage strikingly singular. In short, it’s one of those artforms that begs to be witnessed in the room, but also one which, to the uninitiated, can seem incredibly intimidating, seemingly possessing different customs, different dress codes and often very different clientele to the environments in which they enjoy the live music that they already know and love.
With this in mind, there are many ways in which we aim to break down the barriers that keep the curious from entering, experiencing, and exploring the classical world at large. Practically speaking, for instance, both of our resident orchestras, The Hallé and the BBC Philharmonic – as well as the Hall itself, via our International Concert Series – aim to make concerts as financially accessible to as diverse a pool of patrons as possible, offering a wide range of discounts and concessions on tickets to classical shows. These vary from performance to performance, with specific details available on each event page, but can mean that entry is as little as £3 for selected concerts. Similarly, The Hallé also recognise that live events require the investment of our time, their Rush Hour series inviting curious and committed audiences alike to skip their usual crowded commute in favour of sixty minutes of orchestral music, starting at the sociable hour of 6pm. Programmed with all in mind, you can expect to hear the kind of ‘hits’ that you didn’t know you knew, including Rachmaninov’s Third, Shostakovich’s Ninth and Beethoven’s Fifth, which disco fans may already recognise thanks to Walter Murphy’s funk-tinged reworking, A Fifth of Beethoven.
In fact, no matter how clueless you may feel when it comes to classical compositions, you’d likely be surprised by how many popular pieces you’re familiar with already, whether through their omnipotence within the popular consciousness or their use throughout popular culture, with many much more recognisable by ear than by name. Grieg’s Piano Concerto, for instance, was immortalised by Morecambe and Wise, Elgar’s Enigma Variations are played at The Cenotaph each year on Remembrance Sunday and feature prominently in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, with Holst’s The Planets and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue – both due to be performed here by the German National Orchestra – similarly adapted for use in a number of Hollywood films, including 2013’s The Great Gatsby. Perhaps the most transcendent of all, however, is Handel’s Messiah – an annual fixture in our festive calendar – its Hallelujah Chorus unmistakeable and something you’ve probably, at one point or another, jokingly sung yourself.
Similarly, we also offer many opportunities to enjoy your existing favourites with a fresh orchestral twist, the upcoming Christmas season, for instance, featuring all sorts, from the Halle’s annual performances of The Snowman to festive favourites including Home Alone, The Holiday or Love Actually in Concert, the films played in full on the big screen as an orchestra recreate their scores on stage below. The enchanting sounds of The Holiday are also featured in returning favourite The Music of Zimmer vs Williams, which pulls heavily from the world of fantasy cinema, as does this month’s Music of the Movies – a medley of the epic music featured in franchises including The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Game of Thrones and many more – and the Halle’s nod to The Music of Star Wars.
The idea of merging two worlds is also apparent elsewhere in The Halle’s programming. Next year, they’ll be collaborating with Beninese-French singer-songwriter, actress and activist Angélique Kidjo – who’ll be performing works by composer Philip Glass – as well as Chicago DJ Honey Dijon, who’ll be helming an evening ‘of thrilling House, anthemic celebration and unapologetic joy’.
Because that’s another thing about orchestral music – although it may have a reputation for being stuffy or, at best, subdued, it can also be incredibly fun.
Our annual NYE concert is a chance to show just that, this year’s edition Let’s Groove featuring a setlist of ‘stone-cold classic hits, iconic tunes and TV themes from an era that gave us the very best in feel good music’, all selected to get your end of year celebration off to the most spirited possible start. Will 2025 be the year that you give orchestral music a go? We hope we’ve convinced you that it should be.