City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Vilde Frang / Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla
Elgar / Prokofjew
Modern classiscs
In 1905 the exceptional violinist Fritz Kreisler announced in the newspaper that he absolutely wanted to have a new violin concerto from Edward Elgar. The English composer got wind of his request, but he didn’t immediately start work – Kreisler wasn’t just anybody, after all. Elgar made the great virtuoso wait no less than five years for the completed score, on which Kreisler then commented that it was »the greatest violin concerto written since Beethoven«. Since its acclaimed first performance in London in 1910, it has been one of the most oft-performed works of its kind, and Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang obviously loves it as well – not least for its melodies that are often reminiscent of Scandinavia.
Things are more down-to-earth and wilder in the ballet score »Romeo and Juliet« that Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev wrote in the 1930s, and later arranged for concert performance. This powerful and theatrical music is played tonight by the powerful-sounding City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted, it goes without saying, by Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla.
Performers
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Vilde Frang violin
conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla
Programme
Edward Elgar
Konzert für Violine und Orchester h-Moll op. 61
– Interval –
Sergej Prokofjew
Romeo und Julia (Auszüge) / Ballett op. 64
Subscription
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