Details

An evening of high drama, with Schoenberg's Piano Concerto performed by Mitsuko Uchida and Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting Beethoven's sparkling Symphony No.7. When Schoenberg was composing his Piano Concerto, his markings at the beginning of each movement suggested an autobiographical connection - 'Life was so easy', 'Suddenly hatred broke out', 'A grave situation was created' and 'But life goes on'. Although these markings were removed in the final published version, the underlying dramatic structure still affects the listener intensely. Beethoven's Symphony No.7, with its driving rhythms and sparkling joie de vivre, is full of bright orchestral colours. The slow introduction to the first movement lays out the skeleton of the entire work, which is coloured in over the course of the work. The finale is based on a stamping peasant dance with 'whooping horns' providing a joyous climax. Philharmonia Orchestra website.

Cast/Performers

Mitsuko Uchida (piano)

Creatives/Company

Conductor: Esa-Pekka Salonen