Lyric, lyric

ARTISTS
Symphonic Orchestra of the Szczecin Philharmonic Orchestra
Michał Balas - cello
Kornilios Michailidis - conductor

WORKS
Witold Lutosławski - Symphonic Variations (1938)
Robert Schumann - Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
Johannes Brahms - Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90.

Perhaps more than any other instrument, it is the cello that has something uniquely melancholic about it. It sounds extremely expressive, deep, and the melodies it brings out remind many of the human voice. Arguably, this is why it is capable of moving listeners so much. On this November evening, we invite you to meet with extremely lyrical works not only for cello.

Neoclassical and laced with themes taken from folk music, Lutosławski's Symphonic Variations is his debut work. The composer created it right after graduating from college. It features an expressive rhythm and energetic dialogue between instruments, and is crowned by a finale worthy of film music. As the name suggests, Lutoslawski operates in thematic and variation form. The main theme is quite simple, but his approach to variation is very unusual. This is because Lutoslawski does not number or differentiate his variations. One flows seamlessly into another. Hence there is no consensus on how many there actually are. Some say twelve, others say only eight.
Robert Schumann's Cello Concerto in A minor, on the other hand, is a work written at the end of the composer's life that never lived to see its public premiere. It's a somewhat treacherous piece for cellists. The virtuoso parts here are much more difficult than they seem when listening, plus it's a concerto full of almost poetic expression and extraordinary emotional depth. It's a much more introverted piece than the bravura concertos with which we associate music of the Romantic era. It's also a bold, daring and structurally complex piece. After all, after the piano, it was the cello that was Schumann's favorite instrument. The composer did not live to see the first performance of the piece in Leipzig in 1860, and for many years this magnificent piece was completely forgotten until the great Pablo Casals popularized it again in the 20th century.