Exeter University’s Great Hall
Thursday 1 February 2018 at 7.30pm
On Thursday 1 February at 7.30pm, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, under its chief conductor Kirill Karabits, will return to Exeter University’s Great Hall for its ‘Monumental Brahms’ concert. Joining the BSO will be the award-winning concert-pianist Sunwook Kim, who will perform Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.1, alongside exploring the Ukrainian symphonic tradition with the 3rd Symphony of Boris Lyatoshinsky.
An extraordinary melding of musical heritage and progressive outlook made Brahms an overwhelming presence in the latter half of the 19th century. The monumental first piano concerto occupied Brahms for 5 years and despite, unfortunately, having a rather poor reception at the time it is now one of the best-loved piano concertos in the world.
This work demonstrates Brahms’ organic development of musical ideas; which would come to influence a younger generation composers such as the Arnold Schoenberg, alongside the young Boris Lyatoshinsky (1895 – 1968) growing up in Zhytomyr in the Russian Empire, now known as Ukraine.
Lyatoshinsky is relatively unknown in the west, a pity since his third symphony represents the greatest example of Ukrainian symphonic music and for many, including Kirill Karabits, remains one of the great symphonies of the 20th century.
This symphony is reminiscent of the film scores to swashbuckling 1950’s Hollywood dramas: full of emotion, the music sometimes gritty, sometimes poetic.
The brilliant array of orchestral colours and terrific melodies shown in the 3rd Symphony characterises heroic struggle against despair. It shows Lyatoshinsky to be a master of symphonic creation and a leading figure of Ukrainian 20th century composition.
The BSO is delighted to welcome Sunwook Kim back to the Orchestra as the pianist for this concert. Sunwook was the BSO Artist-in-Residence for the 2014/2015 season. Having learnt piano since the age of 3, Sunwook gained recognition internationally at 18 when he won the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition in 2006, making him the competitions youngest winner in 40 years.
Sunwook has established a reputation as one of the finest pianists of his generation, appearing as a guest soloist alongside some of the world’s leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Berlin Radio Symphony as well as Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for his BBC Proms debut in the Summer of 2014.
This concert is sponsored by the University of Exeter. The BSO and the university signed a historic partnership in 2015 confirming the commitment by both symphony orchestra and academic institution to delivering world-class symphonic music to people living in the South-West of England.
Ticket Prices: £40-£16
To Book Tickets: Please visit BSOlive.com or visit or call the Exeter Northcott Theatre Box Office on 01392 726363
(image: Sunwook Kim. Courtesy of Hajin Ahn.)
Philip R Buttall
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