Andreas Brantelid made his solo debut at the age of fourteen, performing Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor op. 85, with the Royal Danish Orchestra in Copenhagen, and today he is one of the most sought-after and acclaimed Scandinavian musicians. Together with the NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Sitkovetsky, he will perform Kurt Atterberg’s Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and String Orchestra op. 57, and Mieczysław Weinberg’s Concertino for cello and strings.

Florence Price made history as the first African American composer to have her work performed by a professional symphony orchestra in the United States. Her Symphony in E minor was performed in June 1933 by Chicago Symphony Orchestra, but despite its enthusiastic reception, it soon fell into oblivion, due to the racist prejudices of the upper class that were still widespread at the time. Andante moderato is a piece with a light, almost serenade-like character, the mood of which is enhanced by a warm, joyful and at times carefree sound. It will precede the performance of Kurt Atterberg’s Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and String Orchestra, op. 57, from 1960, about which the composer was to say that it was his last work worth performing. The artist wrote in the trend of post-Romanticism, although the three-movement composition also contains solutions closer to contemporary music. It is all the more noteworthy because it came from the pen of an engineer, as it was in this position at the Swedish patent office that Atterberg spent most of his life. However, his walk of life did not curtail his composing activities, where he gained a reputation as an exceptionally talented melodist.

Mieczysław Weinberg wrote Concertino for solo cello and strings in 1948. It was a difficult time for the artist, as the USSR authorities criticised him for his pessimism and not frequent enough references to folklore in his work. Soon he was also accused of formalism, i.e. reaching for innovative means of expression that were unacceptable at the time. Shortly afterwards, the performance of his works was completely banned. The sad experiences are reflected in the elegiac, yet expressive sound of the piece. The concert will end with Suite in Old Style op. 40, “From Holberg's Time” by Edvard Grieg from 1884, which is a tribute to the great Danish writer – Ludwig Holberg. Beginning with a spectacular Prelude, the work is in the form of a stylised Baroque suite, consisting of five movements culminating in a light Rigaudon.