NOSPR / Alsop / Bialic / The Music of Gesture - NOSPR

Should one attempt to identify the most memorable gestures in classical music, the three magnificent chords that introduce the overture to The Magic Flute would surely deserve a prominent place. The majestic organ chord that crowns the finale of the Symphony No 3 in C minor would stand proudly right beside them.

In Mozart’s overture, the dramatic knocking does more than open the portal to the fantastical world of the Queen of the Night. It is also thought to represent admission into a Masonic lodge. Freemasonry leaves its fingerprints all over the opera, and the number three assumes a role of particular importance. The overture’s polyphonic textures develop with effortless grace, partly from a theme borrowed from Clementi.
Saint-Saëns takes a different approach. His entire symphony revolves around a single motif that is continually transformed through changes of tempo, dynamics, key, mood, and orchestral colour. In this last respect, the composer proves especially daring, weaving the organ into the orchestral texture. At times, it quietly enriches the lyrical strings, thus providing a colourful variation to the background. But when in the Maestoso, its voice rises as a vast wall of sound, there can be little doubt as to why the organ is known as the king of instruments.

Between these two ironclad pillars of the repertoire comes the Concerto for Orchestra by Roxanna Panufnik. This composer shares a taste for bold gestures with the other composers featured in this programme, draws deeply on tradition, and is not averse to bending conventions along the way. Her latest work, however, remains something of a mystery until its world premiere. As Panufnik observed in an interview some years ago, she adheres to no particular compositional method, preferring simply to follow her heart.

Piotr Mika („Ruch Muzyczny”)

Concert duration (intermission included): approximately 90 minutes

*Commissioned by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and the Ravinia Festival

Everything you need to know before you come to the NOSPR – practical advice for those attending events.

We kindly request that you familiarise yourself with the information concerning parking in the Culture Zone – important information about parking.