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Strauss 150: Also Sprach Zarathustra

From Poole, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Kirill Karabits. Prokofiev: Symphony No 1. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 1 (with Robert Levin). Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra.

Live from the Lighthouse in Poole

Presented by Martin Handley

Kirill Karabits and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, with soloist Robert Levin, launch their new season with Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 1 & Also Sprach Zarathustra by R Strauss.

7.30 pm
Prokofiev: Symphony no. 1 in D major Op.25, 'Classical'

7.45 pm
Beethoven: Piano Concerto no.1 in C major, Op.15

8.25 pm
During tonight's interval recordings by Robert Levin, including music by Mozart.

8.45 pm
Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra

Robert Levin (piano)
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Kirill Karabits (conductor)

Principal conductor, Kirill Karabits opens the new season with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra by marking the 150th birthday year of Richard Strauss with a performance of his sumptuously scored tone poem, Also Sprach Zarathustra. Richard Strauss wrote in his programme note to the work, "I did not intend to write philosophical music or to portray in music Nietzsche's great work. I wished to convey by means of music an idea of the development of the human race from its origin, through the various phases of its development, religious and scientific, up to Nietzsche's idea of the superman. The whole symphonic poem is intended as a homage to Nietzsche's genius, which found its greatest expression in his book Thus Spake Zarathustra."
In the summer of 1917, with the onset of the Russian Revolution, Prokofiev set to work on his charming first symphony. He chose as his model the classical symphony of the eighteenth century: "It seemed to me that had Haydn lived to our day he would have retained his own style while accepting something of the new at the same time. This was the kind of symphony I wanted to write: a symphony in the classical style."
A classical joie de vivre permeates Beethoven's fresh and ebullient First Piano Concerto. It is packed with pianistic virtuosity which was designed to impress the audience in Vienna where Beethoven was soloist in the first performance on December 18, 1795.

2 hours, 30 minutes

Last on

Wed 1 Oct 2014 19:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Part 1

    • Sergei Prokofiev

      Symphony No. 1 in D major Op. 25 (Classical)

      Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kirill Karabits.

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major Op. 15

      Performer: Robert Levin. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kirill Karabits.

  • Interval

    • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

      Quintet for fortepiano and wind instruments, K. 452: Rondo

      Performer: Robert Levin. Performer: Academy of Ancient Music Chamber Ensemble.
      • Mozart & Beethoven: Quintets for Piano & Wind Instruments.
      • Decca.
      • 4559942.

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      Variations on Ein Madchen oder Weibchen from 'Die Zauberflote'

      Performer: Robert Levin. Performer: Steven Isserlis.
      • Beethoven: Cello Sonatas.
      • Hyperion.
      • CDA67981/2.

  • Part 2

    • Richard Strauss

      Also Sprach Zarathustra

      Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kirill Karabits.

  • Post concert

    • Joseph Haydn

      Symphony No. 34

      Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
      • Haydn: Symphonies Vol.4.
      • L'Oiseau Lyre.
      • 4300822.

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