The concert programme of the NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra will include compositions by two artists. The highlight of the event will be the symphonies of one of the most recognizable composers of the Classical era, and among them there will be a piece by a contemporary artist. The orchestra will be conducted by Joseph Swensen, and the solo part on the trumpet will be performed by Sergei Nakariakov.

Joseph Haydn went down in music history as one of the greatest and most versatile Classical composers. He wrote over a hundred symphonies. Two of them will be performed during the concert of the NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra. The Symphony in C major Hob. I:7 “Noon” belongs to a group of three symphonies devoted to the times of day. This early work shows the great inventiveness of the composer. It is intended for a small line-up, but Haydn places serious demands on the musicians, making each perform a more or less technically advanced solo part. The Symphony in D minor Hob. I:80 is a work from the mature stage of Haydn’s life. Unlike the “Noon” Symphony in the bright key of C major, The Eightieth includes some more dramatic and dark accents.

Jörg Widmann’s composition from 2002 – ad absurdum – is a concerto for trumpet and small orchestra. The title reveals the composer’s semi-humorous intention – to show virtuosity so grossly exaggerated that the individual notes of the solo part are played so fast that they even blend together. The piece begins with the fastest possible tempo, which does not slow down until the end of the work. As the composer commented himself, “the soloist is trapped in his own virtuosity and suffocates,” as illustrated by the low, growling tones of the trumpet. This concert is Sergei Nakariakov’ tour de force, who performed the solo part at the premiere in 2006.