Williams: Flute Concerto & Herrmann: Souvenirs de Voyage

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Darrell Ang and Joshua Tan, presents a compelling programme that explores the rich and often unexpected dialogue between film and concert music, featuring works by John Williams, Bernard Herrmann, and Hugo Friedhofer. Once considered distinct spheres, these worlds are brought together through compositions that reveal the breadth and depth of three composers whose artistry extends far beyond the screen. At the centre of the programme is Williams’ Concerto for Solo Flute, Strings and Percussion (starring Singapore Symphony Principal Flutist Jin Ta), a work of striking imagination and expressive range, complemented by his Essay for Strings (1965), an early yet already assured statement of his concert voice. Alongside these works, Herrmann’s Souvenirs de Voyage for clarinet quintet, here heard in the late Hans Sørensen’s adaptation for clarinet and string orchestra, receives its world premiere recording with clarinettist Ma Yue, offering a vivid example of the composer’s distinctive harmonic language in a concert setting. Friedhofer’s Suite for 5 Woodwinds, also presented in a world premiere recording, further enriches the programme with its inventive tetures and stylistic range. Together, these works highlight a shared spirit ofexploration, brought to life with clarity and refinement by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in a release that continues its distinguished collaboration with PENTATONE.