WDR Sinfonieorchester / Kian Soltani / Cristian Măcelaru

A Voyage of Discovery

In Kian Soltani’s opinion, curiosity should always be the driving force behind a musician’s development. There is plenty to discover, especially in classical music. Concert audiences can always sense Soltani’s deep desire for artistic exploration and his love of experimenting. For his concert at the Elbphilharmonie, this talented Austrian cellist with Persian roots has decided to delve deep into the realms of Tchaikovsky’s cello music. Although the Nocturne in D minor was originally written for piano, it was later adapted for cello and orchestra. Soltani follows this lyrically rich work with the famous Rococo Variations as another great example of Russian music of the Late Romantic era. As the 19th century comes to an end, we find ourselves in the early stages of Modernism where Mahler’s Fifth Symphony symbolises a major turning point. Under the very capable baton of Cristian Măcelaru, the WDR Sinfonieorchester takes us on an emotional journey from death and despair to hope and love, finishing with a joyful and triumphant finale.