The Full Works Concert - Thursday 30 October, 8pm

Masterpieces by Ravel, Sibelius, Haydn and Johann Strauss II are on tonight's menu.

On the Full Works Concert this evening, Ravel’s gorgeously romantic Piano Concerto courtesy of Benjamin Grosvenor.

Ravel’s Piano Concerto was always intended to be a frivolous work. In contrast to many of the gigantic romantic concertos of his day, what Ravel was aiming to write was something light, fanciful and not inherently serious: ‘In the spirit’, as he said, ‘of Mozart and Saint-Saëns.It certainly wasn’t composed in a throwaway manner, though. On the contrary, Ravel mulled over his ideas for the concerto for a full three years.

Its light-hearted nature is confirmed from the first sound we hear in the opening movement: a playful, percussive whip-crack. The work is jazz-tinged in the outer movements. In between, a slow movement of serene beauty confirms Ravel’s status as a master of melody. ‘That flowing phrase!’ he apparently commented. ‘How I worked over it bar by bar! It nearly killed me!’

There's also Sibelius’ Symphony No.2 to look forward to, and Jane begins with a real crowd pleaser, the Overture to Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II. 

Johann Strauss (II): Die Fledermaus - Overture
Andre Previn conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra 

Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
Piano: Benjamin Grosvenor
James Judd conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra 

Jean Sibelius: Symphony No.2 in D major Opus 43
Paavo Jarvi conducts the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra 

Joseph Haydn: Violin Concerto in A major Hob.VIIa:3
Giuliano Carmignola directs the Orchestra of the Champs-Elysees from the violin