Conductor Alexandre Bloch with soloist Satu Vänskä
RAVEL La Valse
SZYMANOWSKI Violin Concerto No.2
PROKOFIEV Symphony No.5
Over a century ago, composers were responding to major historical events which would change society forever. World Wars I and II, compelled composers to create music that told the stories of those times. Ravel and Debussy, musical trailblazers, used innovative harmonies and lively orchestrations to break free from traditional music rules. Between the wars, Szymanowski mixed in Polish folk tunes into his Violin Concerto, capturing in amber his emotional tribute to his country. Prokofiev's Symphony No.5 is like a victory dance, full of energy and spirit.
This concert is a journey through the sounds of these amazing composers, each with their own style, pushing the boundaries of what music can be, and capturing the essence of the most turbulent of times - before our own.