The Edinburgh City Orchestra and conductor Peter Le Tissier are delighted to be joined by pianist Catriona McKenzie for an evening featuring music by Edvard Grieg and Antonin Dvořák, in the city's iconic St. Giles' Cathedral.
Norweigan composer Edvard Grieg's Holberg suite - "in the olden style" - is an attempt by the composer to look back upon the past. Written in 1884 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of poet Ludvig Holberg, Grieg's music uses baroque dance forms in a striking way, presented for the string orchestra alone in what is a very jubilant and, at times, boisterous work.
The orchestra is then joined by the solo piano for what must be not only one of Grieg's most famous, but all of music's most famous works - the Piano Concerto in A Minor. From its opening timpani roll into thunderous piano chords, the work navigates a broad emotional trajectory with many opportunities for the composer's innate lyricism to flourish. Ever since its premiere in 1869, the work has been enormously well-loved and is not one to miss!
After the break, the orchestra turns to the work of Czech composer Antonin Dvořák, whose 7th Symphony, in D Minor, they perform tonight. Most famous for his works such as the 'American' Quartet, the cello concerto and the 'New World' Symphony, Dvořák's 7th is perhaps his most dramatic work in the symphonic genre. Beginning with an ominous d minor, the composer's brilliance takes us through dramatic turns, a beautiful lyrical slow movement, a folk dance scherzo and - finally - a brilliantly energetic and forceful final movement caps off a symphony full of energy and, like the concerto of Grieg, a lyrical spirit throughout.
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