When chief conductor Eivind Gullberg Jensen takes the podium, you can expect something special. Especially when he conducts a work by his compatriot Edvard Grieg, the greatest composer of Norway. Grieg’s Piano Concerto is a highly romantic piece, passionate and rich in themes that immediately stay with you. Although it does not obviously sound “Norwegian,” it is often Scandinavian conductors like Gullberg Jensen who manage to reach its core and make it sound completely authentic.

Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony is ideal for anyone who wants to be truly blown away by an orchestra. It is one of the absolute masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire. Above all, you hear how versatile this composer was. Prokofiev easily switches between epic drama, graceful waltzes, “machine music,” and cartoon-like humor. This symphony has it all, with an almost big-band-like finale as a bonus. And do not forget the infectious sense of play that such a piece gives to the musicians. Before that, Pohjola’s Daughter by Jean Sibelius is performed, a musical fairy tale about misty Finnish landscapes and magic.

Program

J. Sibelius
Pohjola’s Daughter, op.49

E. Grieg
Concerto for piano and orchestra in A minor, op.16

S. Prokofiev
Symphony no.5, op.100