Philzuid

Virtuoso storytelling and musicality come together in Sibelius’s acclaimed Violin Concerto and Richard Strauss’s symphonic poetry. There are some absolute masterpieces that no solo violinist can ignore. With his Violin Concerto, Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote a modern venture brimming with virtuoso ideas. A concert work of Beethoven-like allure that demands the utmost from soloist and orchestra. As a promising young musician, Sibelius already dreamed of a great career as a solo violinist. Due to a congenital hand tremor, Sibelius’ dream never got off the ground. Many years later, he would recognize a true brother in arms in the German- n violin maestro Willy Burmester. Burmester immediately commissioned a violin concerto from the Finnish great.

Sibelius did not rush into anything and worked meticulously on his violin epic. In the three-part concerto, a heavenly Adagio is framed by two finger-twisting allegros that demand all the attention. Burmeister ultimately did not premiere this masterpiece, and other violinists stumbled over the devilishly difficult piece. It was only through the efforts of violin legends such as Jascha Heifetz and David Oistrach that Sibelius’ Violin Concerto earned its well-deserved place in the hall of fame. The young Swedish violin adventurer Ava Bahari and Philzuid are taking up the gauntlet. Bahari has demonstrated in the past that she has a knack for spicy, contemporary violin concertos. The Gothenburg Symphony has already appointed Bahari as artist-in-residence and, inspired by chief conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, she has already given an acclaimed performance of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto.

Like Sibelius, Richard Strauss seduces with his unadulterated storytelling. Strauss is unrivalled in his ability to bring stories to life with his symphonic poems. With his flowing, melodious style and glowing harmonies, Strauss definitively put the symphonic poem genre on the map. Philzuid treats us to no less than two Strauss tone poems. In Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, heroic pranks predominate. Like the German folk hero Till Eulenspiegel, Strauss puts the listener in the right mood with a light-hearted, even mischievous symphonic poem. With themes for horn and clarinet, Strauss unravels the psyche of the legendary rogue. The amorous escapades of heartbreaker Don Juan are also memorable. In his cinematic orchestral work Don Juan, Strauss sings of the fate of love, but with impeccable bravura. Unabashed love themes and more energetic passages keep you glued to your seat.

Philzuid opens this special concert with a cosmic vision by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who passed away in 2023. In her Ciel d’hiver, the most important Finnish composer of modern times conjures up heavenly timbres.

Program

Saariaho – Winter Sky
Sibelius – Violin Concerto, Opus 47 in D minor
R. Strauss – Don Juan, Opus 20
R. Strauss – Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Opus 28