KZN Philharmonic Orchestra 2024 SUMMER Symphony Season Concert 2

ABOUT

Concert 2: 7 March 2024

CONDUCTOR: Emmanuel Siffert

SOLOIST: Jan Jiracek von Armin, piano

Ravel, Maurice Le Tombeau de Couperin

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Concerto, Piano, No.23, K.488, A major

Jan Jiracek von Armin (piano)

Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich Symphony No.2, op.17, C minor

Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin (Memorial to Couperin) was originally a piano suite composed between 1914 and 1917. Each movement was dedicated to the memory of a friend of the composer who had died in World War I. Ravel then produced an orchestral version of the work in 1919. He  skilfully evoked the sensibilities of the Baroque French keyboard suite. This is reflected in the piece's structure, which imitates a Baroque dance suite. Its biographical and courtly historical perspective aside, the work forms a superb prelude to symphonic concert programmes such as here, ushering in Mozart’s great A Major Piano Concerto No 23. Best described as ‘the queen’ of the Austrian genius composer’s piano concertos. Completed on 2 March 1786, two months prior to the premiere of his opera, The Marriage Figaro, Mozart performed it at one of three subscription concerts given that spring. The work’s joyous first movement, written in sonata form, and its dazzling third movement rondo finale, bookend the hauntingly beautiful second movement. This foreshadows that of the composer’s immortal A Major Clarinet concerto, written in the last months of his life. Tchaikovsky composed his Symphony No 2 in 1872.

One of his joyful his compositions, it was a success right from its premiere, and won the favour of the group of nationalistic Russian composers known as ‘The Five’, led by Mily Balakirev. Because Tchaikovsky used three Ukrainian folk songs to great effect in this symphony, it was nicknamed the ‘Little Russian’ (Ukraine was at that time frequently called ‘Little Russia’). Despite its initial success, Tchaikovsky was not satisfied with the symphony, and revised the work extensively in 1879–80, substantially rewriting the opening movement and shortening the finale. This revision is the version of the symphony usually performed today, as it is here.

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