The Hallé - Mendelssohn’s Italian

The two young artists making their Hallé debuts in this concert have been establishing formidable reputations in their native Finland. Taavi Oramo is tipped in the press to be ‘the next young Finnish conductor to rise to international acclaim.’ (Helsinki Sanomat), whilst Tami Pohjola was the first prize winner of the 2019 International Dinu Lipatti Violin Competition. Opening each half are lyrical overtures by near contemporaries Fanny Mendelssohn and Louise Farrenc, both displaying the talents of these gifted early-Romantic composers. Sibelius’s haunting opening to his Violin Concerto calls to mind chill Scandinavian landscapes, whereas Mendelssohn’s Fourth Symphony is imbued with the sunshine and warmth of Italy where it was begun. Writing about it to Fanny, his sister, Felix commented that it would be ‘the jolliest piece I have ever done.’