Brahms and Tchaikovsky

Ukrainian violinist Dmytro Udovychenko is one of the most exciting young violinists in the world, having already garnered numerous awards for his playing and rapidly rising in the classical music firmament. In this concert, he performs the incomparable violin concerto of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, which contains unforgettable melodies and great passions, composed during a tumultuous period in the composer's life. Tchaikovsky composed the work while staying in Switzerland following his separation from a brief and ill-advised marriage and a subsequent suicide attempt. He was inspired by his admiration for a young and exceptionally talented violinist, Iosif Kotek, who reignited the spark of creativity within the composer. The concerto places extraordinary demands on the soloist, making it difficult for Tchaikovsky to find a performer to premiere it.

When Johannes Brahms composed his Fourth Symphony, he was at the height of his career as a composer. The symphony is in many ways unlike its predecessors — although the composer was in good spirits, the work is darker and more melancholic, inspired by Brahms' immersion in the tragedies of Sophocles, and his aim to capture the spirit of Greek tragedy in music. The symphony is full of contrasts, blending warmth with poignant anguish, embodying the two distinct characteristics that Brahms' works often possess: intellectual refinement and emotional explosiveness.

Doreen Carwithen was one of the first female film composers in history and was particularly sought after during the middle of the last century. Like other female composers of her time, Carwithen faced considerable obstacles due to her gender and publishers showed little interest in her works despite their quality and accolades. ODTAA was Carwithen's first orchestral work and this concert provides a unique opportunity to explore this fascinating composer.