Belgian National Orchestra, Franck & Kamei

About the Event

Two milestones of Romantic music come together for an evening brimming with intensity and emotion. In his Second Piano Concerto, Brahms conceived of the piano and orchestra as equal protagonists in a captivating narrative. The work is often described as a “symphony with a soloist,” and for good reason. By expanding the traditional concerto form to four movements, Brahms reveals an exceptionally broad range of expression. From powerful force to the most delicate lyricism—most famously in the cello solo of the third movement—the music unfolds with emotional depth and immense demands. Pianist Masaya Kamei (5th prize at the 2025 Queen Elisabeth Competition) masters this challenge with precision and clarity, shaping the work’s far‐reaching tensions with authority and insight. The evening continues with Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, a work in which the composer reveals his inner struggles and his romantic soul. The recurring “fate” motif runs through the symphony from beginning to end, yet the music never remains uniformly somber. Melancholy, hope, passion, and theatrical flair alternate seamlessly. Under the baton of Mikko Franck, the symphony becomes a dramatic journey that culminates in a finale that overwhelms and lingers in the memory.