Inauguration of the 2012/2013 Artistic Season at the Wrocław Philharmonic

5.10.2012, Friday, 19:00
Wrocław, concert hall of the Philharmonic
Inauguration of the 2012/2013 artistic season
Concert combined with the ceremonial presentation of the Elgar Society Medal to Maestro Jacek Kaspszyk

Jacek Kaspszyk – conductor
Leonard Elschenbroich – cello
Wrocław Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra

E. Elgar – In the South op. 50 (Alassio), Cello Concerto in E minor op. 85, 'Enigma' Variations op. 36

His Pomp and Circumstance Marches, right after the hymn God Save the Queen, is the most recognizable piece in Great Britain. Sir Edward Elgar is today considered one of the most outstanding English composers, but he had to wait quite a long time for this recognition. He gained attention and fame only in 1899 at the age of forty-three, after the astonishing success of the 'Enigma' Variations, which were quickly proclaimed a masterpiece. He also earned the admiration of his compatriots through a series of patriotic songs composed during World War I.
The fourteen 'Enigma' Variations were written based on an original theme devised by the composer. Behind the titles of the individual sections lie portraits of family and friends of the creator, whom he decided to characterize with various musical means. Among those portrayed are: his wife Caroline Alice Elgar (C.A.E.), friend and chamber musician Hew David Steuart-Powell (H.D.S.-P.), student and violist Isabel Fitton (I.F.), publisher Augustus J. Jaeger (Nimrod), and architect Arthur Troyte Griffith (Troyte). The last variation concerns the composer himself, and its title (E.D.U.) is a diminutive of Elgar's name used by his wife. However, the titular riddle remains unsolved. It may concern the ambiguity of the main theme's motif, hidden in the material of a playful symbol or melody. There are many speculations on this topic, but the composer took this mystery to his grave.
The concert overture In the South (Alassio), composed at the beginning of the 20th century during the creator's vacation with his family, was dedicated to Leo F. Schuster, known as Frankie, an English patron of the arts and a friend of Elgar. The subtitle of the piece refers to the locality in Italy where the composer stayed. It was precisely the picturesque landscapes of the Italian Riviera – streams, hills, the azure sea, and mountains – that became an inspiration for him.
The elegiac Cello Concerto is one of Elgar's last major works. At the Wrocław Philharmonic, it will be performed by Leonard Elschenbroich. The soloist will be accompanied by the Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Jacek Kaspszyk.