| David Fray | Piano |
| Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra | |
| Kirill Karabits | Conductor |
Tchaikovsky’s Suite No.3 is a finely crafted work of winning spirit, although one that rarely broaches the personal revelation seen in the pages of his late symphonies. It is entirely idiomatic Tchaikovsky nonetheless. Nobody else could have written the opening Elegy, which traces a trajectory from the languid to the impassioned, with its gorgeous themes and fluttering accompaniments.
Glazunov was fascinated by the splendour and exoticism of oriental music. Many of his works reflect the sinuous, melodic patterns of the East, and his study of medieval modes inspired his orchestral suite From the Middle Ages. The richly scored and detailed Prelude conveys the image of two lovers high on a barren cliff, so lost in each other they are oblivious to the storm-driven sea below. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.3 came straight from the heart of its creator and was a showcase for his own amazing pianistic talents. Revolutionary in its scale, drama and intensity, it is a masterful partnership between soloist and orchestra.
