Closing Concert of the 25th National Stars Promote Festival

Jarosław Nadrzycki violin
Urszula Pniewska violin
Witold Waszkiewicz violin
Antoni Kowalczyk violin
Lower Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk conductor

Ludwig van Beethoven Romance No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra in G major, Op. 40

Mieczysław Karłowicz Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 8 – I. Allegro moderato

Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 – I. Allegro moderato

Franz Waxman Carmen Fantasie

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60

The violin repertoire of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries reveals an extraordinary variety of approaches to the relationship between lyricism and virtuosity. Beethoven’s Romance in G major unfolds as a lyrical dialogue between the violin and orchestra, already pointing towards the expressive world of Romanticism.

Karłowicz’s Violin Concerto has earned acclaim for its brilliant solo writing and subtle orchestral treatment, while Sibelius, in his only concerto for the instrument, confronts the soloist with a part of exceptional technical and expressive demands.

Franz Waxman’s Carmen Fantasie carries the tradition of virtuoso operatic fantasies into the twentieth century, transforming themes from Bizet’s Carmen into a dazzling showcase for the solo violin.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, by contrast, is a testament to Classical balance, elegance and vitality. Despite its masterful construction and orchestration, the work has often remained overshadowed by the monumental symphonies that immediately precede and follow it.