Rhapsody

Samuel Lee, conductor
Sir Stephen Hough, piano
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra

Jimmy Lopez: Rise (Finnish premiere) (duration 11′)
Sergei Rahmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini op. 43 (duration 24′)
Intermission, duration 20′
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony no 8 G Major op. 88 (duration 37′)

Tonight, forget about rigid structures! Rachmaninoff’s intense rhapsody grows in intensity with each variation, Lopez’s Rise exudes movement and energy, and Dvořák’s symphony, composed of natural light, joie de vivre and folk music themes, grows euphorically free. Rachmaninoff has borrowed the theme of the devil’s violin, which is repeated with dazzling virtuosity in a total of 24 different variations. Commissioned by the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, the intense and dynamic Rise draws on Beethoven’s legacy. Pianist, composer, and author Sir Stephen Hough, dubbed a “genius” by The Economist, and Samuel Lee, winner of the prestigious Malko Conducting Competition 2024, will lead the rhapsodic evening.

Little Overture at 5.15 pm in the upper lobby

In the Little Overture series, organized in collaboration with the Turku Conservatory, music students will perform music to accompany the evening’s symphony concert. These narrated events are open to concert guests.

Piano students will be performing.