
A Concerto Of Equals
Acclaimed virtuoso Iveta Apkalna takes us on a personal odyssey through organ music: exploding myths and cliches, and reinventing how we see this extraordinary musical machine.
Classical music history is littered with great piano concertos, violin concertos, cello and clarinet concertos...but an organ concerto?
With one or two famous exceptions, they're normally heard in the domain of the church rather than the concert hall: perky little palate-cleansers to oratorios and other sacred works. Even in the genius compositional hands of JS Bach, Handel, and Haydn, concertante works for the organ are seldom heard - and even more seldom loved.
Iveta seeks to put that right in this episode: exploring the unique challenges, textures and alchemy that happens when the “King of Instruments” is brought together with a symphony orchestra. With music by Jongen, Handel, Eötvös, Saariaho and Poulenc.
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Acclaimed Latvian organ virtuoso Iveta Apkalna takes us on an odyssey through some of the greatest music for her instrument: exploding myths, overturning cliches and reinventing the way we approach one of the most extraordinary musical machines ever created.
She revels in an array of arresting, brilliant organ music from the famous to the unfamiliar: from cherished masterpieces by JS Bach, Liszt and Durufle to lesser-known works by Saariaho, Satie, Rheinberger and Nico Muhly. In focusing squarely on this remarkable repertoire, Iveta puts to bed any preconceptions that the world of the organ is somehow dry or technical - guiding us through the musical brilliance of some of the greatest performers of the last 100 years.
Above all, this is personal. No completism, no apologies for missing out this or that fugue or toccata. Instead: a fresh, compelling approach to some of the greatest - and often under-appreciated - music ever written.
Produced by Steven Rajam. An Overcoat Media production.
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Music Played
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Josef Rheinberger
Organ Concerto no.1, Op.137 (2nd mvt)
Performer: Peter King. Orchestra: ѿý National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth. -
Jón Leifs
Organ Concerto, Op.7 (3rd mvt)
Performer: Björn Steinar Sólbergsson. Orchestra: Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: En Shao. -
George Frideric Handel
Organ Concerto no.2 in F, HWV.295
Performer: Simon Preston. Orchestra: The English Concert. Conductor: Trevor Pinnock. -
Camille Saint‐Saëns
Organ Symphony (3rd mvt)
Performer: Iveta Apkalna. Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Mariss Jansons. -
Joseph Jongen
Symphonie Concertante (2nd mvt: Divertimento)
Performer: Virgil Fox. Orchestra: French National Theatre Orchestra. Conductor: Georges Prêtre. -
Péter Eötvös
Expansion (Multiversum)
Performer: Iveta Apkalna. Performer: László Fassang. Orchestra: Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Péter Eötvös. -
Francis Poulenc
Organ Concerto (Finale)
Performer: Cameron Carpenter. Orchestra: Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra. Conductor: Christoph Eschenbach. -
Kaija Saariaho
Maan varjot
Performer: Olivier Latry. Orchestra: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. Conductor: Kent Nagano.
Broadcast
- Sun 18 Apr 2021 23:00ѿý Radio 3