Works by two important German composers will be performed during this October evening with the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic. Lukas Geniušas, winner of the 2nd Prize at the 16th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, will perform as soloist in Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. The orchestra will be led by Robertas Šervenikas, one of the most distinguished Lithuanian conductors of his generation.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major is sometimes called “The Lark”. This nickname refers to the solo part, full of light, intricate ornamentation reminiscent of the song of this bird. Although the overall mood is cheerful and saturated with optimism, the composer incorporated elements that must have sounded surprisingly innovative to contemporary listeners. The first section opens with a soft piano solo, presenting the theme before the orchestra enters – a move almost unprecedented at the time. Nineteenth-century commentators, fond of emphatic interpretations, saw the second movement as a scene featuring Orpheus taming his raging Furies. The finale brings a vigorous, witty rondo based on a distinctive, rhythmic theme. Interestingly, the work, now among Beethoven’s most popular piano concertos, failed to generate much critical appraisal after its premiere in 1808. It was overshadowed by the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, which received much more attention. A change of heart occurred only three decades later, when the work was rediscovered and enthusiastically promoted by Felix Mendelssohn.

In the second part of the concert, Robertas Šervenikas will conduct Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, commonly known as “Rhein”. Schumann conducted its premiere in Düsseldorf in 1851, shortly after taking up the position of music director of the local orchestra. Connoisseurs were wary of the work’s innovative orchestration, but the audience received it with great enthusiasm. This was facilitated by the music’s cheerful, energetic character and the melodious nature of its themes. Schumann also drew on local folk traditions, and the echoes of dances and songs present in the score undoubtedly contributed to the warm reception of the Symphony. Interestingly, this was the German composer’s last completed symphony, but ever since has been published as his third. Although the name “Rhein” was given by the composer, the work is not programmatic in nature. It expresses Schumann’s fascination with the Rhineland and the atmosphere of the region, with which the composer became associated after moving to Düsseldorf.