Invitation to the Dance is a concert waltz composed for solo piano by Carl Maria von Weber in 1819. It holds a special place in music history as one of the earliest examples of a “concert waltz”—a piece meant for listening rather than dancing. Weber conceived this piece as a musical story or programmatic work, which was quite novel at the time. The narrative is often interpreted as follows: 1. Introduction – A gentleman approaches a lady and politely invites her to dance. 2. The Waltz – They dance together through various musical episodes. 3. Conclusion – The gentleman escorts the lady back to her seat, bowing politely. In 1841, Hector Berlioz arranged the piece for full orchestra, giving it the lush Romantic treatment. His version is often the one performed in concerts today, including CPOs upcoming April concert. Berlioz’s orchestration added color and grandeur, while retaining the charm and narrative of Weber’s original piano version. If you’re hearing this version for the first time it’s good to note that the ending cadence isn’t quite the end, so hold your applause for the cello motif to politely bow as a gentleman to his dance partner. 🎻 (fb)

Sabre Dance is a movement from Aram Khachaturian’s ballet Gayane, And is arguably the most recognisable work from the Arminian composer. The final act of the ballet shows the dancers display their skills with the curved swords. Rest assured, there will be no danger of flying sabres, however CPO Will match the excitement of the sabre dance on our upcoming concert on Saturday 26th April. (fb)