Featured artist Leila Josefowicz plays Helen Grime鈥檚 Violin Concerto, and the sensational Anu Komsi sings Strauss鈥� Four Last Songs, 鈥渄renched in a sense of what was and never will be again鈥�.
This first 成人快手 Symphony Orchestra concert features two masterpieces by Richard Strauss in which darkness is transformed into light. Death and Transfiguration depicts the death of an artist and his spirit鈥檚 journey through memories of childhood innocence, the struggles of life, and the achievement of his life goals as he ascends to heaven.
The Four Last Songs, with their evocation of nature and the changing seasons, are described by Herbert Glass as 鈥渟ongs of farewell 鈥� to life, to art, to a vanished world. There is nothing like them in music for the sheer intensity of their concentrated, gentle heartache. They are drenched in a sense of what was and never will be again鈥�.
Helen Grime鈥檚 Violin Concerto also holds intense emotional contrasts. She writes that 鈥渧iolent, virtuosic music covering the whole range of the violin is contrasted with more delicate and reflective filigree material that features oscillating natural harmonic passages and searching melodies鈥�. It is played by featured artist Leila Josefowicz, a passionate advocate of new music and a wonderful match for the piece鈥檚 wide emotional and technical palette. Helen says of Leila: 鈥淪he's an incredible artist, with such a strong vision and interpretation of the piece - she really owns it. Every time she plays it she has something new to say and to bring to it, so it's a very exciting experience every time I hear it鈥�.
It sits alongside fellow featured artist Daniel Kidane鈥檚 Awake, another special work of which he says 鈥渕y message was: Be awake, focus on the positives, be open-minded. Really listen. I wanted to create a piece that was hopeful鈥�. Here it is played by the orchestra and conductor for whom it was composed.
