Symphony of Heroic Legends

THE Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra's Heroic Legends symphony concert at the Feather Market Centre this weekend will feature a former Port Elizabeth violinist who is now making his mark in Europe.

Tzu-Fan Tang was born in Taiwan, but spent his school years in the city, where he began violin lessons with Doina Bruno when he was just eight years old.

He continued his studies at the University of Cape Town before moving to London, where he received his Masters of Music from the Royal College of Music.

Last year, Tang was selected to join the Southbank Sinfonia – an orchestra made up of hand-picked young graduates from around the world, who perform across Britain and Europe.

Sunday's concert at 3pm will feature popular works by Beethoven and Bruch. So popular, in fact, that Bruch's Violin Concerto No 1 – which Tang will perform – was top of the British Classic FM's annual Hall of Fame chart for five years from its inception in 1996.

Orchestra manager Gill Barnett said this annual compilation of the 300 most popular classical works was voted for by more than 150000 listeners and generally considered to be the world's most comprehensive poll of classical music tastes.

"It's an heroic achievement for any composer to top the charts."

Beethoven's works are, of course, also legendary in their appeal – and the two works being performed on Sunday both feature heroes and legends in equal measure, Barnett said.

"They form part of the so-called 'Heroic' style that dominated Beethoven's middle period – moving away from pretty, pleasing melodies, and characterised by driving rhythms, drama, death, strife and resistance."

She said Symphony No 3, also known as Eroica – the Heroic Symphony – was originally intended as a tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte.

However, after Napoleon crowned himself Emperor in 1804, Beethoven became so enraged his hero could seize power in this way that he famously ripped out the title page of his new work and renamed it Eroica.

In similar vein, the powerful Egmont Overture, which was composed six years later during the Napoleonic wars, also salutes an heroic sacrifice.

In it, Beethoven brought some of his political concerns to the legend of a 16th century nobleman – the Count of Egmont.

The music tells of the heroism of the count, who was condemned to death for having taken a stand against oppression.

Centuries later, this same overture became an unofficial anthem of the 1956 Hungarian uprising.

Alexander Fokkens will conduct the orchestra in these dramatic works.

lTickets to Heroic Legends are available from Computicket at R85 and R100, with limited pensioners' and scholars' tickets at R65. - Arts Correspondent