Autumn Concert 2026 - Featuring Brahms Violin Concerto in D major
All Saints' Church Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 3PX
Saturday 28th November 2026 7:30PM
Performance by Cornwall Concert Orchestra
Programme:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Overture to The Magic Flute
Johannes Brahms - Violin Concerto in D major Op.77 - Soloist: Fanny Fheodoroff
Robert Schumann - Symphony No.4 in D minor Op.120
Conductor: Chris Morgan
Leader: Hywel Webley
Cornwall Concert Orchestra is delighted to announce its upcoming Autumn Concert, “An Evening of Romantic Classics”. The orchestra will take the audience on a journey through the magical energy of Mozart’s Magic Flute Overture, and the sweeping lyricism and dramatic passion of Robert Schumann’s deeply expressive Symphony No.4. The centerpiece of the evening is Johannes Brahms’ monumental Violin Concerto in D major, widely considered one of the greatest and most technically demanding works for the instrument. The orchestra is privileged to welcome the exceptionally talented violinist Fanny Fheodoroff as the guest soloist for this performance.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Overture to The Magic Flute, K.620
Premiered in Vienna in September 1791, just three months before Mozart’s tragic death at age 35, The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) remains one of the world’s most beloved operas. Its overture is a brilliant masterclass in musical economy and energy. The overture opens with three majestic, solemn brass chords. These chords are widely believed to represent Masonic rituals, as both Mozart and his librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder, were active Freemasons. Following this stately introduction, the music erupts into a fast, scampering fugue led by the strings. The theme builds with infectious energy, passing seamlessly across the entire orchestra. It perfectly sets the stage for an opera filled with fantasy, mystery, and triumph.
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Violin Concerto in D major Op.77
Soloist: Fanny Fheodoroff
Brahms wrote his only violin concerto in the summer of 1878, dedicating it to his close friend, the legendary virtuoso Joseph Joachim. Rather than writing a simple showcase for technical fireworks, Brahms composed what critics initially called a “concerto against the violin.” It is a massive, symphonic dialogue where the soloist must match the power and depth of the entire orchestra.
The first movement is vast and lyrical, opening with a warm orchestral exposition before the violin makes a dramatic, soaring entrance. The second movement, the Adagio, features one of the most famous oboe solos in all classical music. Brahms joked that the oboe steals the show, but the violin quickly takes over the melody with heart-wrenching beauty. The finale erupts with fiery, Hungarian-style rhythms, demanding incredible virtuosity from the soloist as it drives towards a thrilling, joyful conclusion.
We are pleased to be welcoming Fanny Fheodoroff for the Brahms violin concerto. Austrian-born, Fanny is a graduate of The Juilliard School where she completed her Master of Music degree in 2021. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at renowned venues including the Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, Beethoven Haus Bonn, and Wigmore Hall. In 2026, Fanny won the Royal Overseas League Competition in the Strings category.
Fanny’s strong desire to promote more non-traditional violin repertoire and explore works of historically under-represented composers led to the creation, together with pianist Camille Lemonnier, of “Adoration” in 2021 – an album featuring the works of eight female composers including Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, and Florence Price.
Since 2022, Fanny has been the violinist of the piano trio Sōra. Their début double album, dedicated to the piano trios of Johannes Brahms, was released in 2024. The album received several awards and was unanimously praised by international press reviews, including Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine.
Fanny plays a violin by Ferdinandus Gagliano (1769), a generous loan by a private sponsor.
Find out more about Fanny at her website: fannyfheodoroff.com
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Symphony No.4 in D minor Op.120
Though published as his Fourth, this symphony was actually Schumann’s second major orchestral work, originally composed in 1841 as a birthday gift for his beloved wife, Clara. Dissatisfied with the initial reception, Schumann withdrew the piece and completely re-orchestrated it a decade later in 1851. Schumann designed the symphony to be played without any pauses between the four movements, creating a continuous, seamless musical journey. The entire work grows out of a single, brooding four-note motif introduced at the very beginning. This dark, melancholic theme transforms throughout the symphony, shifting from the stormy first movement to a tender lyrical romance, through a driving, rhythmic Scherzo, and finally bursting into a triumphant, blazing D major finale.
Kindly supported by Making Music’s Philip & Dorothy Green Young Artists scheme.
Programme:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Overture to The Magic Flute
Johannes Brahms - Violin Concerto in D major Op.77 - Soloist: Fanny Fheodoroff
Robert Schumann - Symphony No.4 in D minor Op.120
Conductor: Chris Morgan
Leader: Hywel Webley
Cornwall Concert Orchestra is delighted to announce its upcoming Autumn Concert, “An Evening of Romantic Classics”. The orchestra will take the audience on a journey through the magical energy of Mozart’s Magic Flute Overture, and the sweeping lyricism and dramatic passion of Robert Schumann’s deeply expressive Symphony No.4. The centerpiece of the evening is Johannes Brahms’ monumental Violin Concerto in D major, widely considered one of the greatest and most technically demanding works for the instrument. The orchestra is privileged to welcome the exceptionally talented violinist Fanny Fheodoroff as the guest soloist for this performance.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Overture to The Magic Flute, K.620
Premiered in Vienna in September 1791, just three months before Mozart’s tragic death at age 35, The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) remains one of the world’s most beloved operas. Its overture is a brilliant masterclass in musical economy and energy. The overture opens with three majestic, solemn brass chords. These chords are widely believed to represent Masonic rituals, as both Mozart and his librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder, were active Freemasons. Following this stately introduction, the music erupts into a fast, scampering fugue led by the strings. The theme builds with infectious energy, passing seamlessly across the entire orchestra. It perfectly sets the stage for an opera filled with fantasy, mystery, and triumph.
Violin Concerto in D major Op.77
Soloist: Fanny Fheodoroff
Brahms wrote his only violin concerto in the summer of 1878, dedicating it to his close friend, the legendary virtuoso Joseph Joachim. Rather than writing a simple showcase for technical fireworks, Brahms composed what critics initially called a “concerto against the violin.” It is a massive, symphonic dialogue where the soloist must match the power and depth of the entire orchestra.
The first movement is vast and lyrical, opening with a warm orchestral exposition before the violin makes a dramatic, soaring entrance. The second movement, the Adagio, features one of the most famous oboe solos in all classical music. Brahms joked that the oboe steals the show, but the violin quickly takes over the melody with heart-wrenching beauty. The finale erupts with fiery, Hungarian-style rhythms, demanding incredible virtuosity from the soloist as it drives towards a thrilling, joyful conclusion.
Fanny’s strong desire to promote more non-traditional violin repertoire and explore works of historically under-represented composers led to the creation, together with pianist Camille Lemonnier, of “Adoration” in 2021 – an album featuring the works of eight female composers including Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, and Florence Price.
Since 2022, Fanny has been the violinist of the piano trio Sōra. Their début double album, dedicated to the piano trios of Johannes Brahms, was released in 2024. The album received several awards and was unanimously praised by international press reviews, including Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine.
Fanny plays a violin by Ferdinandus Gagliano (1769), a generous loan by a private sponsor.
Find out more about Fanny at her website: fannyfheodoroff.com
Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Symphony No.4 in D minor Op.120
Though published as his Fourth, this symphony was actually Schumann’s second major orchestral work, originally composed in 1841 as a birthday gift for his beloved wife, Clara. Dissatisfied with the initial reception, Schumann withdrew the piece and completely re-orchestrated it a decade later in 1851. Schumann designed the symphony to be played without any pauses between the four movements, creating a continuous, seamless musical journey. The entire work grows out of a single, brooding four-note motif introduced at the very beginning. This dark, melancholic theme transforms throughout the symphony, shifting from the stormy first movement to a tender lyrical romance, through a driving, rhythmic Scherzo, and finally bursting into a triumphant, blazing D major finale.
Kindly supported by Making Music’s Philip & Dorothy Green Young Artists scheme.
Event Details
Starts at 7:30PM
