On 8 March, the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society will present Metamorphoses, a programme of symphonic music. The Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) will be joined by conductor Andrzej Boreyko and violin soloist Sergej Krylov. The concert will honour the memory of composer Krzysztof Penderecki, a great friend of Lithuania, as March will mark the fifth anniversary of his death. The performance of his Second violin concerto Metamorphosen (Metamorphoses) will embody respect to and admiration for the composer, who was particularly fond of the violin. The programme will be enriched by Alexander von Zemlinsky’s symphonic fantasy Die Seejungfrau (The Mermaid).
Maestro Andrzej Boreyko, dubbed the ambassador of lesser-known modern music, has chosen two opuses from different periods for Metamorphoses programme, which only confirms that in music, as in life, various things happen – personal friendships between contemporaries, lovers, pupils, family members, as well as mysterious and meaningful professional encounters. In this respect, the meeting between him and the soloist S. Krylov will also be meaningful, bringing them together with the LNSO on the Vilnius stage to celebrate K. Penderecki, who has performed here on several occasions and has left a deep imprint on Lithuanian musical culture with his works and interpretative skills.
Krzysztof Penderecki, one of the foremost contemporary composers, established a close professional friendship with the legendary violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter in 1978, when the 14-year-old performed Mozart’s Violin concertos under the baton of the illustrious Herbert von Karajan. Penderecki’s Concerto No 2 Metamorphosen (Metamorphoses) is one of the works that commemorate their long musical friendship, combining the rich, velvety timbre of A.-S. Mutter’s violin and the melancholy of Penderecki’s music. This concerto, featuring violinist S. Krylov, renowned for his colourful sound and emotional interpretations, will be performed at the concert on 8 March.
The symphonic music programme will be enhanced by the springtime touches of love, as well as with the joy of discovering a little-known work, with the second work of the concert being the symphonic fantasy Die Seejungfrau (The Mermaid) by Austrian composer Alexander von Zemlinsky.
Even though Zemlinsky was in close contact with the great classics Johannes Brahms and Arnold Schoenberg, his own music remains little known. In his symphonic fantasy Die Seejungfrau, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairy tale The Little Mermaid, Zemlinsky embodied the deep sadness of his parting with his beloved Alma Schindler, a young composer and his pupil, who married the famous Gustav Mahler.
The concert Metamorphoses. LNSO, Sergej Krylov, Andrzej Boreyko will take place on Saturday, 8 March at 19.00 at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Concert Hall. For full information on the concerts of the LNPhS 84th season, please visit www.nationalphilharmonic.lt LNPhS 84th concert season is sponsored by NORFA.
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