Dresdner Philharmonie

Programme: Guillaume Connesson "Flame Writing" Robert Schumann Cello Concerto in A Minor Albert Roussel Symphony No. 3 in G Minor Maurice Ravel "Bolero" What Maurice Ravel once called an "experiment" is now one of the most popular and catchy pieces in the concert hall: His "Boléro" is actually quite simple in structure, consisting of two very similar melodies that are repeated over and over. The rhythm remains the same throughout, produced like a motor by a small drum. What may sound monotonous is not, however, as the music changes in every moment through new timbres and increasing volume, culminating in a powerful ending. Schumann's only cello concerto was initially misunderstood: deemed too introverted and not virtuosic enough by many. However, the composer did not intend to write a brilliant "showpiece concerto," but rather sought to give the cello a poetic, introspective voice. Cellists like Pablo Casals and later Mstislav Rostropovich made the work famous, and today it is an indispensable part of the repertoire of major concert halls.