American inspirations and a favourite Mozart piano concerto.
There’s a reason Dvorák’s New World was voted No.1 in the ABC’s Classic 100 Symphony. Beethoven might be more impressive, but Dvorák speaks directly to the ear and the emotions.
His harmonies are crisp, his melodies are rich and singable, his ideas are stirring, and his musical personality is straightforward. Even when he’s in a melancholy mood, he can’t quite hide the vital inspiration of his Bohemian homeland.
Lutoslawski’s Fourth Symphony was also composed for the “New World” and for a new world of sound. It’s compact and lucid, setting out to intrigue and then satisfy with its eloquence and clear lines. Mozart’s music is all about eloquence and clear lines too, and every one of his piano concertos is a miracle, including K467, the ‘Elvira Madigan’.
As Stephen Hough describes it, the concerto offers noble lyricism in its first movement, blue sky with clouds in the second (truly a troubled peace), and high-jinks fun in the finale.
LUTOSLAWSKI Symphony No.4
MOZART Piano Concerto No.21 in C, K467
DVORÁK Symphony No.9, New World
Mark Wigglesworth conductor
Stephen Hough piano
Pre-concert talk by David Garrett in the Northern Foyer, 45 minutes before each performance.
AUDIO PLAYER LISTING
Track 1 – DVORÁK Symphony No.9 (From the New World): 1st movement
Track 2 – DVORÁK Symphony No.9 (From the New World): 2nd movement (Largo)
Track 3 – DVORÁK Symphony No.9 (From the New World): 3rd movement
Track 4 – DVORÁK Symphony No.9 (From the New World): 4th movement
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Antal Doráti
PHILIPS ELOQUENCE 476 8482
Audio kindly supplied by Universal Music.