A once-in-a-decade musical experience is coming to London in April 2025.
The massed wind, brass and percussion sections of acclaimed orchestras Britten Sinfonia and Sinfonia Smith Square perform Olivier Messiaen’s monumental masterpiece, Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, dedicated to those who lost their lives in both World Wars, and premiered in Paris almost exactly 60 years ago.
Messiaen’s Et exspecto is rarely performed because of the sheer scale of what it requires: huge sections of wind and brass instruments, alongside an extraordinary range of percussion, including gongs, cowbells, and tam-tams. The result is striking, unlike anything most audiences have ever heard.
Conducted by Nicholas Daniel, this concert also marks a special occasion — Daniel’s final performance in his post as Principal Oboe of Britten Sinfonia, a role he has held since helping to found the orchestra over 30 years ago.
Nicholas Daniel says: “This piece presents a rare opportunity for an unforgettable musical journey together, audience and performers.
The unique sound world is immense and powerful, and bringing it to life in the stunning surroundings of Pugin’s St George’s Cathedral is a lifetime’s ambition for me. I am tremendously excited to share this experience with some of the great musicians in the UK, including the exceptional young artists of Sinfonia Smith Square.”
The evening’s programme brings together music that explores themes of reflection, loss, and hope. Alongside Messiaen’s masterpiece, audience members will hear Stravinsky’s ritualistic Symphonies of Wind Instruments, and – with the Choir of Merton College, Oxford – Stravinsky’s Mass and choral works by Poulenc and Duruflé.
Book now at brittensinfonia.com/events/messiaen-et-exspecto
