They called Alexander Glazunov the âRussian Mendelssohnâ, and he might well have been musicâs greatest child prodigy since Mozart. But what matters today is that his Violin Concerto, written in 1904, has all the hallmarks of a blockbuster â glittering fireworks, glowing colours, and an endless flow of sweet, songful, irresistibly hummable melodies. Itâs a special favourite of violinist KristĂłf BarĂĄti â himself a favourite of ±«Óătv SSO audiences, acclaimed by âThe Scotsmanâ for his âsheer command and presenceâ â and itâll make the warmest possible heart to this red-blooded programme from the energetic Peruvian conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya. Grazyna Bacewiczâs Concerto is a typically exhilarating and inventive workout for the ±«Óătv SSOâs strings, from one of 20th-century Polandâs most undeservedly neglected geniuses. And as for DvoĆĂĄkâs Seventh Symphony: well, 19th-century Czech listeners heard it as a drama of national reawakening. But itâs infinitely more than just that: an impassioned, storm-swept outpouring of melody and emotion, in which DvoĆĂĄk fearlessly stakes his claim to a place in the great symphonic tradition.
The concert will be recorded for future broadcast on ±«Óătv Radio 3.