Lise De La Salle plays Liszt

The French pianist Lise de la Salle returns to perform with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra for the second time, having made her debut with the orchestra in 2010 as a twenty-year-old. A music critic from Morgunblaðið described her at that time as having "the maturity of an elder under the sparkling virtuosity of youth." These qualities are certainly well-suited for the magnificent First Piano Concerto by Franz Liszt. The composer himself was a leading pianist in Europe during the 19th century, a superstar who drew crowds to his concerts. He had a unique sense of the piano's sound, colors and nuances and it is no wonder that his works are among the pillars of piano literature. It took Liszt 23 years to complete his Piano Concerto No. 1, partly due to his perfectionism, as he was very keen on being taken seriously as one of the great composers. It is safe to say that the piano concerto secured his place in music history.

The second half of the concert is devoted to Antonín Dvořák's 7th Symphony, is one of Dvořák's most dramatic works, as the composer himself wanted his symphony to "move the world." Although the symphony was written on a commission from London, the musical language is filled with nationalistic references, inspired by contemporary ideas about a unified Czech Republic. The opening work of the concert is Tumblebird Contrails by American composer Gabriella Smith, written in 2014. In recent years, the piece has been performed around the world, including at the Nobel Prize Concert in Stockholm last year. In her works, Smith explores the possibilities of instruments with great playfulness, drawing listeners into a fascinating soundscape inspired by the environment and nature.