Mendelssohn | Strauss | Kozhukaru

Further details

Adrian Prabawa - Conductor

Mendelssohn | Strauss | Cojocaru

Breath – The Soul: World Premiere

In the post-truth populist era, where words seem to lose their meaning, breath is the anchor. It is the most basic action we have as living beings, indicating both our state of being alive and the way life sustains within us. During a prolonged period of ongoing uncertainty, there exists within us constant movement between anxiety, despair, and feelings of distress, to the routine of life, small joys, and hope for healing and restoration. This movement burdens the mental system, on breath — which is the foundation that inspired Cojocaru to compose this single-movement piece, where there is constant movement between states. It is a movement between how the orchestra breathes or is breathed. It operates from inertia, or reacts to a disturbance in its breath and the presence (and sometimes absence) of its inner pulse.

Strauss – Oboe Concerto

The Oboe Concerto is a lyrical and delicate piece written in 1945, combining a classical style with the rich harmony and romantic character identified with Strauss. The piece gives the oboe a central role full of expression, flexibility, and virtuosity. The three movements of the concerto flow almost uninterrupted, creating calm and elegant music and are considered one of the important works written for this instrument.

Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 3 'Scottish'

Symphony No. 3 in A minor, 'Scottish' is a musical journey amidst mist-covered landscapes, ancient castles, and spirits of the past. Inspired by his visit to Scotland, Mendelssohn created a composition in which emotion and nature merge into a rich weave of sounds: sometimes reflective and dark, sometimes stormy and vigorous, and finally radiant and hopeful. The continuous transitions between the movements of the symphony give it a sense of natural flow, woven into a single continuous work, where each movement grows naturally from its predecessor. It concludes with a festive and illuminated final movement, ending the journey with a sense of upliftment and triumph.

Adrian Prabawa - Conductor

Ivan Podgornov - Soloist