Nielsen’s Fourth Symphony, in his own words, expresses “the spirit of life or manifestations of life, that is: everything that moves, that wants to live … just life and motion…”. This incendiary work makes for a fitting conclusion to this programme, conducted by John Storgårds, which seeks to define the human spirit. Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, arising from conflict seeks to celebrate an unshakeable sense of optimism. These two pieces bookend two more introspective UK premieres, Michigan-born composer James Lee III’s Shades of Unbroken Dreams with pianist Alexandra Dariescu – a piano concerto marking the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s historic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech – and Helena’s Song arranged for violin and orchestra from Sebastian Fagerlund’s unnerving operatic family drama Autumn Sonata, performed tonight by our Chief Conductor play-directing from the podium.
Pre-concert entertainment
Stalls Café Bar, 6.30pm
Ahead of the concert, Royal Northern College of Music student Jiale Bao (piano), will be performing in the Stalls Café Bar.
Pre-concert programme
Debussy: Estampes
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110
J S Bach (arr. Ferruccio Busoni): Chaconne in D minor
Post-concert activities
Stalls Café Bar
Hosted by BBC Radio 3 Presenter Tom McKinney, after our concert this evening, us in the Stalls Café Bar for discussion and a little music with our Chief Conductor John Storgårds, soloist Alexandra Dariescu and composers James Lee III and Sebastian Fagerlund.
