Beethoven’s is not the only Fifth Symphony – this concert presents two others! American composer Christopher Rouse recalls that the first pieces of classical music he heard were Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Rouse’s Fifth Symphony contains many direct and indirect references to Beethoven’s, and was hailed as a “triumph” following its premiere by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden in 2017. Prokofiev’s Fifth had an equally triumphant premiere in Moscow in 1945, when one critic described it as embodying the “glorification of the strength and beauty of the human spirit”.

Following the premiere of his Concerto for Two Pianos in New York in August 2017, Philip Glass wrote: “The Labèque Sisters are tremendous. They’re great performers, and great interpreters. And they’re wonderful supporters of music – not only modern music, but just music.” Experience for yourselves the chemistry between these remarkable piano duetting siblings and the music of one of today’s leading composers. And not to miss Stokowski’s own dazzling orchestration of Mussorgsky’s popular musical art gallery.

Opera News describes Renée Fleming’s voice as “full and pearly” and Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 as “tailor-made” for her “with its lush, soaring melodies tinged with folksong, dramatic climaxes to show off her upper range, and a slightly sentimental text steeped in Americana”. Framing this atmosphere recollection of summer evenings in Tennessee and Schubert’s masterful early Romantic songs, Maestro van Zweden leads the orchestra in Wagner’s unforgettably ecstatic celebration of love and Shostakovich’s enchanting homage to Haydn – a symphony which set out to be as grand as Beethoven’s Ninth but ended up as a light and frivolous expression of simple happiness.

In our season opening, Maestro Jaap van Zweden prefaces two of the most popular Russian works of the early 20th century with one of Wagner’s dazzling orchestral showpieces. The 2015 Chopin Piano Prize Winner Seong-Jin Cho, whose playing has been described as “heart-melting” by Gramophone magazine, performs what is probably the most heart-wrenching of all piano concertos. Add to that the jubilant optimism of Wagner’s Mastersingers and the profound tragedy of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, and this promises to be a truly emotionally-charged musical experience.

Two jilted men and a case of mistaken identity come together for this concert! Both Mahler and Berlioz poured out their hearts in music following rejection and disappointment in their independent pursuits of two different actresses, while Brahms’ belief that he had written his noble set of variations on a hidden masterpiece by his great musical hero, Haydn, was sadly misplaced. This concert proves that even failure in life can’t keep a great composer down!

[1]. WONG Chun-wai: HK Phil Commissioned Work (World premiere)
[2]. RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G
[3]. John CORIGLIANO: Symphony no. 1 (HK premiere)

First we are proud to present the world premiere of the HK Phil commissioned work by local composer Wong Chun-wai. Hong Kong pianist Rachel Cheung, finalist and Audience Award winner at the 1th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, showcases her poetic musicianship and compelling music-making in Ravel’s Piano Concerto. We will also hear eminent American composer John Corigliano’s incredibly moving Symphony no. 1. Corigliano’s original score for the film The Red Violin has won him an Oscar.

MAHLER: Symphony no. 2, Resurrection

MOZART:
Symphony no. 1
Horn Concerto no. 4
Symphony no. 40

Programme BRUCKNERSymphony no. 8Listen “[Jaap van Zweden] is now the leading interpreter of Bruckner’s symphonies”, according to the BBC Music Magazine, and for this very special concert he will be presenting his very personal take on Bruckner’s glorious, magisterial and intensely beautiful Eighth Symphony. Van Zweden writes, “In my opinion, beauty is what Bruckner is talking about. Listening to beauty makes you clean inside”. One performance only. A must-see for musical fans!

Joshua Bell is one the most distinguished violinists of our time, widely acclaimed for his exuberant technique and imaginative playing. He returns to the HK Phil with Sibelius’s dark and expressive Violin Concerto, one of the best loved violin concertos, famed for the exceptional demands it places on its soloist. In contrast, Jaap van Zweden concludes the concert with one of Mozart’s most popular symphonies, Jupiter, which is full of radiance and solemnity.