³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

I am writing to you from the ladies' changing room of Cheltenham Town Hall (which I have discovered has wireless - always good to know these things). We have just finished rehearsals for tonight's concert with soloist, Stephen Hough, and conductor, Jurjen Hempel, and I am having a little sit down with a cuppa.

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ National Orchestra of Wales' programme this evening (Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 1 and Tchaikovsky's Pathetique Symphony) is rather heavy on the powers of concentration. Obviously mindful of this, Mr Hempel merely topped and tailed the symphony, checking for balance and what the maximum level of noisiness was for the brass. Shuffles of approval were heard.

Tomorrow, we will be back in St David's Hall, Cardiff with Stephen Hough, but also to perform Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony.

Manfred is not one of the six numbered Tchaikovsky symphonies. If anyone knows the reason for this, please let me know. Composed in the 11 year gap between the fourth and fifth symphonies, this was the first (and perhaps only, aside from the enigmatic Pathétique) of Tchaikovsky's symphonic works to have a programmatic element to it.

The music is based on the dramatic poem of the same name by Byron, the content of which, like a lot of Byron's work, is decidedly PG. There is incest, supernatural elements and a deep sense of foreboding. It's a bit like an 1800s episode of Eastenders actually, but with more flowery language.

To be honest, I'm not sure I had ever even heard Tchaikovsky's Manfred before I spotted it coming up in our schedule (don't know how it managed to slip under my geeky radar for all these years). I spent a lot of last week listening to it before I got down to actually learning the notes. There is something very enjoyable about really getting to grips with Tchaikovsky - for me, his music sits well 'under the hand', in the same way that Mahler's music does (and Bruckner's does not).

For all the gorgeous soaring, often searing, melodic lines in this music, it is also minutely detailed; every tiny swell and inflection in the music is so, so important. If you don't know your part, you can find yourself just playing along without getting any real sense of the heart of the music.

I've enjoyed getting to know Manfred. It is an interesting work which definitely feels like a different beast from the recognised six symphonies. To me, in some ways, although the musical language is somewhat different, this work reminds me more of the tone poems of Richard Strauss for example, than of the four symphonies Tchaikovsky composed prior to Manfred's conception.

After this week's lovely concerts, we shall be in recording and workshopping mode for the majority of the next two weeks. This will, at the very least, give me the opportunity to get some dry cleaning done and also to continue with the Great New Bow Search, of which you will undoubtedly hear more of in the coming weeks!

Laura and the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ National Orchestra of Wales perform Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony tonight at Cardiff's St David's Hall. For tickets and information, please call 02920 878444.