Karlowicz, Ravel, Tchaikovsky, von Weber

Composed in 1826 as the curtain-raiser to Weber’s final opera, this overture is often performed as a separate concert piece. It blends shimmering fairy magic with heroic drama and opens with a haunting horn call and builds through rapid string passages and bold brass fanfares, foreshadowing the opera’s fantastical themes.

Completed in 1902, Karłowicz’s only violin concerto contains soaring melodies and richly resonant orchestration that seems to be modeled after the famous ones by Tchaikovsky and Bruch. The solo violin alternates between lyrical introspection and virtuosic brilliance, revealing the composer’s mastery of emotional storytelling. It is a full-blooded concerto in the grand Romantic tradition that was long forgotten after the First World War but has been recently rediscovered by intrepid violinists.

Commissioned to showcase the expressive range of the Érard double-action pedal harp, Ravel’s 1905 chamber work has a dazzling interplay of textures. The harp leads with shimmering arpeggios, while flute, clarinet, and strings weave impressionistic motifs that evoke water, wind, and light in motion. Ravel apparently wished to stress the privileged position of the harp and wanted the piece to be considered a miniature harp concerto as well as the original version as a septet.

This symphonic poem dramatizes Shakespeare’s tragedy with sweeping themes and vivid orchestration. It is based on three elements of the Shakespeare story – the first element is an introduction representing the saintly Friar Laurence, with a foreboding of doom from the lower strings. The second element is violent feud between the warring Capulets and Montagues, including a reference to the sword fight, depicted by crashing cymbals. The feud is portrayed musically through stormy brass and percussion. Finally, the third element is the love theme, achingly tender and unforgettable, which emerges in lush strings before a tragic climax. The English horn and viola represent Romeo, while the flutes represent Juliet.