Brussels Chamber Orchestra, Zhao, Nikogosyan, Guttman

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847): Concerto in D minor, MWV O 3 for violin and strings (1822)

1.  Allegro

2.  Andante

3.  Allegro

Rossini/Sollima: Une Larme for cello e orchestra

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936): Adagio con variazioni for cello e orchestra P 133 (1922)

1. Adagio
2. Poco meno adagio
3. Quasi recitativo

Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992): Concierto para quinteto (arr. Pablo Villuendas)

The Violin Concerto in D minor, catalogued as MWV O 3, was composed by 13-year-old Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847) for Eduard Rietz, his friend and violin teacher. Around this time in 1822, the young enfant prodige composed twelve symphonies for strings, to be performed in private concerts at the Mendelssohn home. Divided into three movements (Allegro-Andante-Allegro), this Concerto was never published during the composer’s lifetime and was forgotten. Only the violinist Yehudi Menuhin, in 1951, who was shown the manuscript, wanted to have it published and performed. The Concerto in D minor was then published by Editions Peters and was first performed at Carnegie Hall in New York on 4 February 1952 by Menuhin himself as soloist. Of a different kind is instead Une Larme. Thème et Varìatìons [A Tear. Theme and Variations] for cello and piano, composed by Gioachino Rossini (1792 - 1868), probably after his retirement from public musical life, and located in the salon music collection Péchés de vieillesse [Sins of Old Age]. Here, a version created by the Italian composer Eliodoro Sollima (1926-2000) and entitled Une Larme (da G. Rossini) for cello and strings will be performed. The structure of the piece just addressed also appears in the Adagio with variations for cello and orchestra P. 133, composed in 1902 by a young Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936). The form of the Tema con variazioni consists of a musical idea that the composer re-proposes in an ever-changing manner (‘variated’, in fact) by making substantial changes, without ever losing sight of the original idea. This Adagio was originally conceived as the slow movement of a Cello Concerto in E minor from 1902, was taken up again in 1921 and was dedicated to his friend, cellist and fellow citizen of Bologna, Antonio Certani. Of a totally different character is instead Concierto para quinteto [Concert for quintet], by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), first performed in 1971, one of the most productive periods of the Argentine composer’s career. This piece was composed for the Quintet Nuevo Tango, an ensemble consisting of violin, double bass, piano, electric guitar and bandoneón, a type of accordion. On this evening, an arrangement for solo violin and orchestra by Pablo Villuendas will be performed.