A charming collection, the suite is lifted from music Bizet composed for Daudet’s play The Girl from Arles – a tragic story about unrequited love. Ravel’s G Major Concerto sparkles with energy and a sense of spontaneity, but it is far from casual in its craftsmanship, drawing upon Basque and Spanish melodies, jazz riffs and even his childhood fascination with mechanical toys. An early work by Prokofiev, his orchestral “sketch” paints a vivid picture. Mussorgsky’s musical wander through a fictitious gallery of works by his friend Victor Hartmann is a beautifully curated series of miniatures, some intimate, others grotesque, but all imbued with vivid orchestral colour by Ravel’s genius for scoring.

Pre-Concert Talk

Make the most of your concert by getting to know the music in more depth with our informative video about the pieces being performed.