The Hallé - Brahms's Violin Concerto

Performed virtually by the Hallé and Sir Mark in 2021, Huw Watkins’s Symphony No.2 was hailed byThe Timesas a ‘great British symphony’, which ‘deserved the prolonged ovation’ the pandemic has denied it. Watkins hoped it would ‘challenge and entertain’ both the Hallé’s players and its discerning audiences, who can now experience its true world premiere. Sir Mark describes Vaughan Williams’sNorfolk Rhapsody No.1as ‘a little masterpiece’, that makes ‘a perfect upbeat to the symphony.’ Brahms composed his Violin Concerto in the idyllic scenery of Wörthersee where, he quipped, melodies were so abundant he had to take care not to tread on them. Making his second visit to the Hallé, Grammy Award winner, Augustin Hadelich, received a lavish Gramophone review for his ‘richly characterised and subtly coloured account’ of this concerto.