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. Sibelius’ First Symphony is significant in that never before had a work of such stature emerged from Northern Europe, unveiling the previously unheard character of Nordic music, sounding both ‘old’ and ‘new’ at the same time. It is clearly a work by a skilled composer who already had a musical voice of his own, and much of the musical personality that makes the later symphonies so distinctive is already visible. Passionate yet reflective, Vasks’ music represents a symbol of hope for his Latvian homeland, conveying the message to never give up on beauty, even when the world is filled with turmoil and violence.
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