Thomas Dausgaard, conductor

Performing with
Alexander Melnikov, piano
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Programme
JOANNA WARD : New Work BBC Commission, World Premiere (c.10 mins)
NIELSEN : Symphony No.6 ‘Sinfonia semplice’ (c.35 mins)
BRAHMS : Piano Concerto No.1 (c.50 mins)

From its tempestuous opening bars, Brahms’s First Piano Concerto throws a gauntlet down to all-comers. It’s a monumental, powerhouse of a work, so we’re thrilled that the astonishing Alexander Melnikov joins us as tonight’s soloist. Today, it’s hard for us to hear how Brahms broke new ground with this concerto, but to keep that spirit of artistic revolution alive we have a World Premiere from composer, performer, researcher, and activist Joanna Ward, renowned for her cross-media explorations. Our Nielsen symphony cycle continues, too, with the composer’s ‘Simple Symphony’ which, despite the sunny outlook of its opening, has dark moments and unexpected twists on the horizon.