Page 54 - Final_CBSO's 100th Birthday Celebration
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concerts was given in Birmingham Town Hall on November 10 1920 when Sir Edward Elgar
himself conducted a programme of his own music: Falstaff, the Cello Concerto (with Felix
Salmond) and the Second Symphony. I think we can take it as read that the CBSO will be
marking that centenary also in some enterprising way. The orchestra has no control over the
reopening of Symphony Hall but let’s hope that will be possible very soon.
The evening was presented by Birmingham-born actor, Adrian Lester. I’ll confess that when I
saw a presenter was to be involved, I was slightly apprehensive, knowing how gushing and
distracting some presenters of televised concerts can be on the BBC. (The recent First Night
of the Proms concert was a typical example.) Mr Lester banished any apprehension right
from the start. Throughout the evening he was relaxed and completely professional as he
introduced the music and gave us some insights into the orchestra’s history. At the end, glass
of bubbly in hand, he gave us the toast: ‘To music, community and the next one hundred
years’. Ideally chosen words. Happy 100th birthday, CBSO!
John Quinn
The concert is available to stream free of charge on the CBSO’s YouTube channel (click
here) until the end of September.
