NOSPR / Hasegawa / Matsuoka / Concert Delights - NOSPR

A pleasing melody, a well-defined rhythm, sweet harmonies with a touch of dance-driven momentum – these are qualities that seldom fail to find favour with audiences. After all, a symphonic concert need not consist exclusively of works probing the depths of existential philosophy; it may instead explore the depths of aesthetic pleasure. Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No 2 draws inspiration from the tradition of danzón, a Cuban ballroom dance that eventually travelled via the port of Veracruz to Mexico City. Márquez emphasises that the work’s dance-like lightness serves as the vehicle for a particular philosophy of life, one in which sensuality is tinged with nostalgia. Manuel de Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat, in turn, transports us to the heart of the Spanish provinces. Written for Diaghilev’s Parisian company, the ballet dazzled audiences with its folk rhythms and distinctive melodic language as much as with Picasso’s sets and costumes.

Nothing in the beguiling Introduction by Camille Saint-Saëns quite prepares the listener for the effervescent virtuosity of the Rondo capriccioso, nor for the sensuous pleasure released when the two follow one another in succession. The composer achieves the effect through a combination of deft musical instinct and sparkling invention. By the time the music has completed its arc, the impulse to applaud arrives almost of its own accord!

Fiery rhythms are not usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think about music from Japan. And yet, Akira Ifukube’s compositional debut from the 1930s – orchestrated sixty years later – proves a delightful surprise. Its sharply drawn contours and energetic spirit are balanced throughout by a lyrical and expressive sense of melody.

Adam Suprynowicz (Polskie Radio)

Concert duration: approximately 70 minutes

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.