Ludwig van Beethoven can be associated with several musical genres or forms, such as the symphony, the piano sonata, the concerto, and the string quartet. Works for violin are probably not the first to come to mind in this context – and yet Beethoven is the composer of one of the most popular and important pieces for this instrument, the Violin Concerto for in D major.
Virtuoso Joseph Joachim would later claim it to be the “greatest” German violin concerto. It is the only surviving work by Beethoven in this genre. This magnificent composition will be presented at our fifth subscription concert by the top performing artist Vadim Gluzman.
The Ukrainian-born Israeli violinist, who has won awards for outstanding recordings, successfully combines new music with “classical” pieces in his repertoire, playing the legendary 1690 Stradivarius known as the “ex-Leopold Auer”.
The second half of the program features symphonies by another great German composer, Robert Schumann. Schumann’s music is characterized by specific elements of style with melodic and harmonic solutions in the Romantic spirit.
His musical language was perhaps most naturally expressed in his piano pieces and songs. His symphonies, though acclaimed, remain somewhat in the shadow of his chamber music. Orchestral works were not Schumann’s preferred means of expression, which is perhaps evidenced by the fact that he significantly reworked his Symphony No. 4 a decade after its composition.
The result is a piece of classical music, rather heavy and dramatic in sound, which demonstrates Schumann’s ability to create large orchestral works in a well-thought-out way.
The Prague Philharmonia was founded in 1994 on the initiative of the conductor Jiří Bělohlávek (1946-2017) under the original name Prague Chamber Philharmonia. Since the 2015–16 season the orchestra has been led by the French conductor Emmanuel Villaume. Today it is one of the most recognised orchestras, not only among Czech but also world ensembles. Regular invitations to tour abroad as well as recording projects with the most renowned international labels bear testimony to this.
