Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Royal Festival Hall
A mighty Bruckner symphony and suspense from Weber bookend the great Russian showpiece
Vladimir Jurowski wows critics with his interpretation of the monumental symphonist Anton Bruckner. Photo: Vera Zhuravleva
Overture, concerto, symphony is the traditional three-course meal of the concert hall, and although London is packed with music that experiments with formats and venues, tis tried-and-tested trio still makes for a wonderful evening.
Take this concert by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under its principal conductor, the dynamic Vladimir Jurowksi.
It opens with the dramatic Overture to Der Freischütz by Weber, a miniature foretaste of the suspenseful story he was to tell in his opera. With melodic ideas tumbling over each other and a strong sense of its Germanic heritage, it is a thrilling piece in its own right.
Next at this concert in the Royal Festival Hall (5 Dec) comes Tchaikovsky's marvellous and moving Violin Concerto, one of the most loved such pieces in the repertoire. First performed in 1881, it is played on this occasion by the prize-winning Russian violinist Alena Baeva with the LPO under its Russian conductor. Between them they are sure to get to the Russian heart of this virtuoso piece.
The evening concludes with the monumental Symphony No 2 by Anton Bruckner, whose nine symphonies have to be heard live to fully appreciate their scale and breadth. Nicknamed the 'Symphony of Pauses', it radically understands the power of stillness and silence between bravura passages of orchestral colours. Written in 1872, it was actually the fourth symphony Bruckner wrote. So complex and demanding are its many layers that players at the time pronounced it impossible to play.
You can be sure the scintillating LPO will have no such problem with Brucker's Second at what promises to be a spectacular, landmark event.
Take this concert by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under its principal conductor, the dynamic Vladimir Jurowksi.
It opens with the dramatic Overture to Der Freischütz by Weber, a miniature foretaste of the suspenseful story he was to tell in his opera. With melodic ideas tumbling over each other and a strong sense of its Germanic heritage, it is a thrilling piece in its own right.
Next at this concert in the Royal Festival Hall (5 Dec) comes Tchaikovsky's marvellous and moving Violin Concerto, one of the most loved such pieces in the repertoire. First performed in 1881, it is played on this occasion by the prize-winning Russian violinist Alena Baeva with the LPO under its Russian conductor. Between them they are sure to get to the Russian heart of this virtuoso piece.
The evening concludes with the monumental Symphony No 2 by Anton Bruckner, whose nine symphonies have to be heard live to fully appreciate their scale and breadth. Nicknamed the 'Symphony of Pauses', it radically understands the power of stillness and silence between bravura passages of orchestral colours. Written in 1872, it was actually the fourth symphony Bruckner wrote. So complex and demanding are its many layers that players at the time pronounced it impossible to play.
You can be sure the scintillating LPO will have no such problem with Brucker's Second at what promises to be a spectacular, landmark event.
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| What | Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Royal Festival Hall |
| Nearest tube | Waterloo (underground) |
| When |
On 05 Dec 18, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM |
| Price | £10-£65 |
| Website | Click here for more information and booking |