Budapest Festival Orchestra: Tüür, Schumann, Sibelius

About the Event

Immerse yourself in the stunning architecture of Budapest's breathtaking Palace of Arts for the ultimate concert set to awake your understanding of classical music.

The Bachtrack critic likened Paavo Järvi’s concert to a 'three‐course gourmet menu'. This Grammy Award‐winning Estonian‐American conductor, celebrated for featuring pieces by Sibelius, Tüür, and Beethoven, is now set to enthrall audiences at the BFO with another captivating program.

The evening's musical journey commences with Erkki‐Sven Tüür’s concert overture 'Aditus', penned in 2000. This introspective piece grapples with existential queries. Its chromatic melodies, though introspective, offer a canvas upon which listeners can paint their unique interpretations. Tüür, primarily recognized for his instrumental compositions, elucidates that 'music, as an abstract art form, can evoke varying visions for every individual, given our distinctiveness.' In 'Aditus', he pays homage to his compatriot, Lepo Sumera, who passed away the same year. The piece, emblematic of an entrance or approach, is constructed from semitones and subsequent note sequences. It starts with a brass and tubular bell foundation, intermittently contrasted by the ethereal float of strings. Eventually, a rhythmically rich section emerges, leading to an exhilarating cascade of timbres.

Next, the mood lightens with Robert Schumann’s vibrant symphony. A testament to his newfound symphonic voice after Beethoven, this piece emerged during a particularly joyous and prolific phase of Schumann’s life. Initially conceived with programmatic titles like 'The Beginning of Spring' and 'Spring in Full Bloom', these descriptors, though later omitted, echo in the symphony's vivaciousness. The brass leitmotif recurs, weaving its presence into the violin strains of the slow movement, the intense scherzo trio, and the jubilant finale.

The concert culminates with Jean Sibelius’ most beloved symphony, one that debuted during the grand celebrations of his 50th birthday in 1915. Sibelius, even as he battled health challenges, instilled this composition with a spirit of resilience. The symphony is a tapestry of major movements, with the first fusing the opening and scherzo. While its surface shimmers with breezy motifs, underneath brews the gravitas of the slow movement. The finale, reminiscent of the majestic flap of swan wings, culminates in the resounding triumph of the swan theme.