The concert under the baton of the esteemed conductor, Dima Slobodeniouk, will be filled with works by composers from the Nordic countries – the contemporary Hans Abrahamsen, and Jean Sibelius, the most famous Scandinavian symphonist of the 20th century.

The first piece in the programme will be The Oceanides by Sibelius referring to Greek mythology. The composer went down in history as the author of sinister, harsh-sounding works that are often compared to the Finnish landscape. It seems, though, that this artist also felt at home describing the sounds of the sea and the nymphs frolicking among the waves. The playful musical idea presented at the beginning of the work by the flutes symbolizes the oceanides, and the melody played shortly afterwards by the oboe and clarinet, accompanied by strings and harps, reflects the majesty of the ocean. The Oceanides are considered by scholars and critics to be one of Sibelius’ most valuable symphonic poems. Despite its melodiousness and colours, this work is not played very often.

The Let Me Tell You is a cycle of seven songs for soprano and orchestra by the contemporary Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen, born in 1952. He was inspired by the book of the same title by the British writer Paul Griffiths. The theme of the work is the experience of Ophelia, from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The Danish composer’s work is a story told from her perspective, using only the words used by the English playwright. The work intrigues with its bright, glassy orchestration, as well as the communicative musical language. This is not only a strongly moving piece, but also original and fanciful. The seven songs are divided into three sections. The theme of the first one is memory, the second – love, and the third, according to the composer’s words, presents a snow-covered landscape, which reflects the heroine’s state of mind.

The last piece in the programme will be the powerful and austere Fifth Symphony in E flat major by Sibelius, which is one of his most popular works. It consists of three movements. The first one starts slowly and timidly. This introduction resounds with the characteristic calls of the French horn, which will become the basis for further narrative. In the middle of this movement, there is a powerful climax, and the tempo accelerates more and more, until it reaches a lively, bravura coda. The serene second movement consists of variations on a cheerful melody played at the beginning by the flutes against the pizzicato of the strings. The finale is joyful and majestic, containing the work’s most famous musical theme. It is a measured, swaying melody played by horns, and called the “swan theme” because it reflects the swan calls heard once by Sibelius.