THE HASLEMERE Musical Society spring concert will start in Vienna and wend its tuneful way via Spain to Paris.

The symphony orchestra, under musical director Dr James Ross, will open with Franz Schubert’s Symphony no 3 in D which starts with the 18-year-old composer discovering his own voice, among ideas learned from Rossini overtures and folk tunes nearer home.

The lovely, graceful allegretto is followed by a jolly scherzo masquerading as a menuetto. A tarantella in the last movement gallops away like the chase scene of a silent movie.

Dances from Manuel da Falla’s ballet The Three-cornered Hat follow, written for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes and premièred in London in 1919, with costumes and set by Picasso. Its original title, The Magistrate and the Miller’s Wife, gives an idea of the village fun and games portrayed.

The society will be presenting its new chorus master, Ondrej Soukup, for his first concert.

Having rehearsed the choir to perfection, Ondrej will perform the baritone solo in Fauré’s Requiem.

After playing the organ at so many funerals, Fauré wanted to move away from lamentation and fear of Judgement Day.

“I want to do something different”, he said.

His Requiem would be filled with “a very human feeling of faith in eternal rest”.

This serene promise is met in full as the soprano voices float like an angel choir, “In Paradisum”.

Before that there will be a setting of Psalm 150, which proclaims: “Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.”

In César Franck’s version, although the choir enters softly, the Lord is praised with resonance and joy. This concert will be a harbinger of spring.

The spring concert will be held in Haslemere Hall at 7.30pm this Saturday night, March 5.

Seats cost from £8 to £17.50, with reductions for under-18s. There is also a 50p booking fee.

Call the box office on 01428 642161 or buy tickets online at http://www.haslemerehall.co.uk

By Martin Robson