Schubert's „Unfinished“
Bethlehem Chapel, 29 February 2024 at 7.30 pm.
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: The Tale of the Fair Melusina
Jana Vöröšová: The Boy and Distance, world premiere commissioned by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra
Henryk Wieniawski: Fantaisie brillante on themes from Charles Gounod’s Faust
Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 7 in B minor “Unfinished”
Alena Hron conductor
Diana Chausheva violin (winner of the International Radio Competition Concertino Praga 2022)
Czech Radio Children’s Choir
Alena Hrdinková choirmaster
The young conductor Alena Hron gives a glimpse into a fairy-tale world. Mendelssohn’s The Tale of the Fair Melusina tells the story of a woman who has to spend one day a week as a mermaid as a punishment. When her husband discovers this, she turns into this character permanently. As a typical romantic, the composer captures the mood rather than the plot itself. The composition by Jana Vöröšová, our contemporary, is based on the book “The Boy and the Distance” by Daisy Mrázková. The story of a great friendship, a poetic reflection on the deeper meaning of human existence, is set against the backdrop of a winter landscape. The Distance wants to show the Boy what she likes, just as he wants to show her what he likes. The author has created onomatopoeic, widely spread musical images. The legend of Faust, who seeks knowledge and understanding, happiness and youth with the help of the devil, is not only a fairy tale but also a parable. Charles Gounod added immortal melodies to one of the most frequent literary themes in his opera, which Henryk Wieniawski then used for a virtuoso display in the popular genre of paraphrases of the time. Franz Schubert, whose music forms a bridge between classicism and romanticism, left behind six hundred songs, masses and ballet and stage music, chamber pieces, piano miniatures and eight symphonies. The penultimate one, found long after his death, was a great discovery. It is economical, concentrated, lyrical and dramatic. With just two movements, it was labelled “Unfinished”.
This concert was financially supported by the OSA.
Ticket prices: CZK 590 | CZK 490 | CZK 390
The organiser reserves the right to changes in the list of scheduled performers.
