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Mälkki Conducts Bartók

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Béla Bartók described his Concerto for Orchestra as a gradual progression from the stern and stately to life-affirming enthusiasm. Former Principal Guest Conductor Susanna Mälkki has been widely celebrated for her ability to “make conspicuous magic” (Gramophone) of Bartók. She returns to deftly navigate the concerto’s shifting character that dances between a charming “game of pairs,” an eerie elegy, and humorous jab at Shostakovich with countless showcase opportunities for the musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Where Bartók treats the orchestra as a collection of soloists, Czech composer Miroslav Srnka imagines the symphony as a biological superorganism—like bees, ants, or perhaps humans—whose subtle movements and seemingly individual roles reveal a greater and hypnotic collective effect. Closing the first half, the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new Principal Oboe Ryan Roberts, celebrated for his “alluring solo playing” and “flawless poetry” by The New York Times, takes the spotlight in Martinů’s brief yet compelling Oboe Concerto, which offers lyrical beauty, jazz-inflected rhythms, and even a Czech polka.

Classical
  • Approx. 2-2.5 hours,
    including 20-minute intermission

Program

Miroslav SRNKA

Superorganisms

US premiere

LA Phil commission

c. 20 minutes

MARTINŮ

Oboe Concerto
c. 15 minutes

Intermission

Plan Your Visit

Walt Disney Concert Hall

111 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, California 90012

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Accessibility

Email: WDAccess@laphil.org
Phone: 213 972 0777

Mailing address:
ADA Compliance Coordinator
Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
151 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012-3034

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