Bartók and Beethoven

Bartók's Violin Concerto is one of the masterstrokes of 20th century violin repertoire.

It was written in 1938, at a time when the composer was devastated by the rise of fascism in Hungary, and the ethnic persecution and violence that accompanied it. Many have interpreted the piece as Bartók's final farewell to his homeland. Shortly after completing the concerto, Bartók fled to America with his wife. Neither of them ever returned home. The work is laden with deep emotion and full of allusions to the folk music he had studied on his travels around rural Hungary at the start of the 20th century.

 Ludwig van Beethoven's 'Eroica' Symphony is an epoch-defining work in the history of music. Through it, Beethoven struck a course through new and as yet uncharted territory in symphonic writing, the reverberations of which are still felt to this day. Napoleon himself was the figure who inspired the composition, but when he crowned himself Emperor Beethoven withdrew his dedication. The image of the hero still towers high above the piece, full of bravery and strength.

The concert begins with the world premiere of Veronique Vaka's Inmost, a piece written for chief conductor Eva Ollikainen. Violinist Leila Josefowicz is one of the world's leading musicians and has carved a unique place for herself through her interpretations of major works from the 20th and 21st centuries. She participates actively in the creation of new music, through commissions and collaborations with a wide range of composers. Josefowicz is artist-in-residence at the Iceland Symphony during the 2023-24 season and will appear twice with the orchestra, as well as giving a solo recital on the Friday Series this coming January.