Moments in History

John Storgårds, conductor
Marko Ylönen, cello
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra 

George Antheil: McKonkey’s Ferry Overture (Finnish Premiere)
Pēteris Vasks: Cello Concerto no 1
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony no 6 in E-flat minor op. 111

When the world is in turmoil in the face of great upheavals and historic moments, composers often respond with music. Antheil’s overture from 1948 depicts George Washington crossing the Delaware River in December 1776, at the height of the American Revolutionary War. Vasks’ concerto comments on Latvia’s independence from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Prokofiev’s symphony, premiered in 1947, reflects on the wounds left by World War II and is dedicated to the victims of war. This profound program is conducted by Chief Conductor John Storgårds, with cellist Marko Ylönen as soloist.