Philzuid

In Finland and Russia, they have centuries of experience with harsh, bleak December months. The serene silence of winter weather brings pure inspiration to composers. For many, the unpredictable and bleak winter means hardship. But it is also a time for reflection. For centuries, the serene silence of winter weather has brought pure inspiration to composers. Isolated from their surroundings, they create chillingly beautiful music. Philzuid pays tribute to Finnish and French composers who are in love with (winter) natural beauty.

Special attention is paid to Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara, who died ten years ago. Together with Kaija Saariaho, Rautavaara is considered the most influential Finnish composer after Sibelius. The prolific composer Rautavaara sought the healing power and all-encompassing energy of nature in his accessible, symphonic work. In his enormous oeuvre-including eight symphonies and nine operas-Rautavaara increasingly found a spiritual connection between the divine and all earthly beauty in his later years. Rautavaara captivated a large audience with his post-Romantic, spiritual style. One of his best-known works is the orchestral piece Cantus Arcticus, in which Rautavaara enhances the beauty of Finnish nature with recordings of bird songs. Rautavaara’s atmospheric Violin Concerto is, in turn, a true tour de force for the solo violinist. The up-and-coming German violinist Tobias Feldmann knows the work like the back of his hand.

Was it love for his mistress that inspired Debussy, or the sweeping sea view from the hotel room where he stayed with her? Just as Impressionist painters such as Monet captured the shimmering water in colors, Debussy painted his masterpiece with the most refined orchestral sounds. In his La Mer, you can almost smell the sea.

Program

Pépin – Les Eaux celestes
Rautavaara -Violin Concerto
Rautavaara – Cantus Arcticus
Debussy – La Mer