The Symphony’s second Classics concert partners with the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles to bring famed Polish Canadian pianist, Janina Fialkowska, to San Luis Obispo.
Mozart’s Overture to the Magic Flute begins this concert with the famed opening three chords signifying Sarastro banging on the door. Next, Janina Fialkowska joins the Symphony to perform Paderewski’s Piano Concerto in A minor. Inspired by the concertos of contemporaries like Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and Shostakovich, the second movement is a beautiful song to life.
The concert concludes celebrating the 100th anniversary year of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition with the famous orchestrated version by Maurice Ravel. This work has come to symbolize the great Russian tradition as well as Ravel’s expert orchestration, from the opening Promenade music heard on the trumpet to the bold brass theme that opens the final movement the Great Gate of Kiev. A work of multiple components with walking or “promenade” music in between nine fully executed movements, the composer takes us on a musical journey of great art.
Mozart: Magic Flute Overture
Paderewski: Piano Concerto in A minor op.17 – with Janina Fialkowska
Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition