Neubrandenburg Philharmonic Orchestra / Soloist: Katharina Treutler, piano / Conductor: Rasmus Baumann
Sergei Rachmaninov: Vocalise
Camille Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 5 in F major op. 103 ("Egyptian Concerto")
Sergei Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 3 in A minor op. 44
Camille Saint-Saëns was musically gifted and versatile. But that was not all: the composer was also passionate about literature, archaeology and the natural sciences. For example, he studied the flora of North Africa, collected rare butterflies and studied rock formations. He also frequently spent time in Algiers and Cairo. His 5th Piano Concerto contains, among other things, an oriental melody that Saint-Saëns is said to have heard on a trip to the Nile.
Sergei Rachmaninov, who was primarily appreciated as a pianist during his lifetime, not only devoted himself to piano works as a composer, but also wrote for almost all genres. His 3rd and final symphony is formally a work of classical clarity, with surprisingly expressive harmonies. The Vokalise, which opens the concert evening, is one of the Russian composer's most famous creations. The song is performed in an all-orchestral version.
