Tales from a dark century: Ernst von Dohn谩nyi is the missing link in the story of central European music, a Hungarian romantic master who connected the world of Strauss and Mahler to the fiery new sounds of his compatriots Bart贸k and Kod谩ly. But his own vision remained unashamedly Romantic, and his sweeping First Symphony 鈥� written for a huge orchestra 鈥� is one of the unsung monuments of Austro-Hungarian culture in the age of Freud and Klimt. It鈥檚 something of a passion for our young Hungarian guest conductor Gergely Madaras, and its opulence and unbridled emotion make it a telling contrast to the dark shadows and tense political drama of Shostakovich鈥檚 First Violin Concerto, written as Stalin鈥檚 post-war repression reached its height. US critics have called violinist Karen Gomyo 鈥渁 first-rate artist of real musical command, vitality, brilliance and intensity鈥�: and setting the scene is a new suite from Elena Langer鈥檚 2016 opera 鈥楩igaro Gets a Divorce鈥� 鈥� which relocates Mozart鈥檚 much-loved characters to a chillingly modern world of uncertainty, nationalism and political instability.
Prelude: 6.45pm in the Recital Room (free to ticket-holders, subject to seating availability): Composer Elena Langer introduces her Suite from 鈥楩igaro Gets a Divorce鈥�, in conversation with 蜜芽传媒 SSO violinist Alex Gascoine.
The concert will be recorded by 蜜芽传媒 Radio 3, for broadcast at 7.30pm on Monday 24 February 2020. The presenter is Kate Molleson.