Lindberg's Concerto for Orchestra: premiere in London
(September 2003)
Magnus Lindberg travelled to London for the world premiere of his major new orchestral work at the Barbican on 30 September. Commissioned by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the 30-minute Concerto for Orchestra was conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste, who has been closely associated with Lindberg’s music, having performed many of his works and premiered Feria and the Clarinet Concerto.
Following the London first performance, the BBC Symphony Orchestra toured the work to the Concertgebouw in Bruges on 1 October. Saraste also conducts the work’s Japanese premiere on 28 May 2004 as part of an all-Lindberg concert by the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Composium at Tokyo Opera City.
The new Concerto for Orchestra combines the twin strands of Lindberg’s output: virtuoso orchestral scores, and concerti focusing on solo instruments (piano, cello and clarinet). Here the instruments and groups of intruments within the orchestra are under the spotlight, with constantly changing configurations and colours.
The work is cast in five movements that play continuously. A fast and brilliant opening section is followed by a darkly coloured slow movement, then a third section strips the orchestra back to chamber music formations, leading to a scherzo and a summatory finale. The work grows from the opposition of two contrasting materials, as described in Risto Nieminen’s programme note: one material being pliable and modelled as if from clay and the other being hard as if sculpted from granite.
> Further information on Work: Concerto for Orchestra
Photo © Kira Gluschkoff
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