Communicating with fiery passion Grieg’s Piano Concerto is imbued with a Nordic quality echoing traditional Norwegian dances and instruments. The striking, opening gesture (perhaps one of the most recognisable in all classical music based upon descending seconds and thirds) is but one sign of how Norwegian folk music was making its impact upon his emerging style. It continues with many attractive themes, a thrilling cadenza and much dazzling originality. The first great thunderbolt to issue from Tchaikovsky’s pen and the best early realisation of his incredible potential, this fantasy overture careens between the tension of the clashing Montague and Capulet houses and the heart-breaking beauty of the protagonists’ love. The sum of the parts is pure magic. Franck’s powerful Symphony is his most enduring orchestral work. Wagnerian in scale and Romanticism, it is a wonderfully original work teeming with invention, excitement, and interest.
