58. Bratislava Music Festival Closing Concert

Together with concertos by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky, Brahms' only Violin Concerto belongs to four principal instrumental concertos written for this instrument in the 19th century. It was dedicated to his friend Joseph Joachim, perhaps the most important violinist of the time (and native from the nearby Austrian village Kittsee). It was premiered on the 1st January 1879 in the Gewandhaus Leipzig under the baton of the composer himself. The work ranks among the most exacting and extensive in the violin literature. It places great demands especially on the violinist's left hand, asking for frequent double-stops, large jumps and other challenging elements. Dalibor Karvay performed this work already in the autumn 2013 accompanied by the Slovak Philharmonic; tonight he will give it being at the peak of his creative powers and playing the valuable Stradivari instrument from 1694, loaned to him by the Austrian National Bank.

The most famous symphonic work by Eugen Suchoň Metamorphoses carries a subtitle “five variations on original themes”. In its orchestral design it sounded for the first time 70 years ago in October 1953 performed by the Slovak Philharmonic led by Ľudovít Rajter. The score abundant in splendid orchestral timbres expresses the composer's experiences from the turbulent years 1935–1945, interpreted by the author's unique artistic language. Although it touches upon the horrors of war in its fifth, closing movement, the composition teminates in a bright key E major, expressing the victory and hopes for the future. At the concluding concert this representative Slovak work will sound under the baton of the renowned Czech conductor Tomáš Netopil, thus being a worthy musical full stop of the 58th BMF.