Repertoire

Alissa Firsova: Die Windsbraut (The Bride of the Wind), Op. 38 (2017) 11′ – National premiere
Edward Elgar: Cello Concert in E minor, Op. 85 (1919) 32′
Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56, “Scottish” (1829-1842; rev. 1843) 40′

ARTISTS

Barcelona Symphony Orchestra (OBC
Jean Guihen Queyras, cello
Gemma New, conductor

Programme

Composer Alissa Firsova premieres Die Windsbraut (The Bride of the Wind) in Barcelona, a work inspired by the passionate relationship between the painter and poet Oskar Kokoschka and pianist and painter Alma Mahler.

On one of his many journeys, Felix Mendelssohn arrived in Edinburgh, where he visited the ruins of the old Holyrood Palace, which bore witness to Mary Stuart’s tumultuous life and the bitter power struggles over the throne involving her. There, as the composer himself explained, “I think I have found the beginning of my ‘Scottish’ Symphony”.

The premiere of Edward Elgar’s Concerto for Cello was disastrous: “Never has an orchestra offered such a pitiful image” wrote the critics. The reason was that during the week of rehearsals, another conductor took up the time Elgar should have devoted to the concerto. It was not until forty years later that the work enjoyed success and today it is one of the foremost concertos in the cello repertoire.