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MusiC
Philharmonia
Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen Conductor
Yefim Bronfman Piano
Bartók The Miraculous Mandarin: Suite
Salonen Piano Concerto
Debussy Prélude à l’après-midi d’un Faune
Janácek Sinfonietta
Béla Bartók was fascinated by Menyhért Lengyel’s violent
and erotic fable The Miraculous Mandarin, the story
of a young girl forced to seduce men so her captors could
steal from them. Bartók created one of his most scintillating
scores, dripping with drama and yearning for the redemptive
power of human love.
Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Piano Concerto, with its demanding
and percussive solo piano part is dedicated to the pianist
Yefim Bronfman, the soloist in this performance.
The shimmering music of Debussy’s Prélude à
l’après-midi d’un Faune evokes the mysterious eroticism
of Mallarmé’s famous poem. Janácek’s Sinfonietta
was intended to express ‘contemporary free man,
his spiritual beauty and joy, his strength, courage and
determination to fight for victory’.
‘The giddy pleasure of hearing Mr Salonen evoking,
appropriating and downright stealing the music he loves…
to produce something excitingly original.’
THE NEW YORK TIMES ON HIS PIANO CONCERTO
Yefim Bronfman: ‘brawny, powerhouse virtuoso who
appears unruffled by the most demanding works
in the repertoire.’ THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Wednesday 19 August 8.00pm
Usher Hall
Tickets £39 £34 £27 £24 £20 £17 £14 £12 £10
2 hours approximately
eif.co.uk/philharmonia
le Concert
des Nations
Jordi Savall Conductor
Handel Water Music Suites 1 & 2
Music for the Royal Fireworks
Marin Marais Alcione (excerpts)
Performed on a barge on the River Thames by an orchestra
of 50, George I liked the Water Music so much he was
said to have demanded it be played three times that night.
Much of the music is now used regularly on TV and radio
and will be very familiar to those who don’t even realise
they know it.
Handel went on to compose for George II and, to celebrate
victory in the war for Austrian succession, wrote Music
for the Royal Fireworks. The music was a popular hit even
from the dress rehearsal, causing a three hour carriage
jam as 12,000 people flocked to hear it.
Mixing the familiar with the unfamiliar, discover Marais’s
orchestral music from his opera ballet Alcione. Full of
magic and fantastic journeys, Jordi Savall and
his orchestra Le Concert des Nations are experts
in performing this music.
‘Harpsichord and thrumming theorbos provided the
rhythmic and percussive driving force behind this delightful,
giddy whirl performed, once again, to a completely
full house.’ THE SCOTSMAN FESTIVAL 07
Thursday 20 August 8.00pm
Usher Hall
Tickets £39 £34 £27 £24 £20 £17 £14 £12 £10
2 hours approximately
Book Now eif.co.uk/leconcertdesnations Book Now
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