Over to Spain this week with a live concert featuring Orquesta Ciudad de Granada led by guest conductor Pablo Gonzalez and featuring one of the faster rising stars on the concert stage Asier Polo playing the Cello Concerto of Robert Schumann.
The concert was recorded this past December by RNE in Spain. I am constantly blown away by the high level of musicianship that's coming out of Europe these days, particularly with these regional orchestras and new faces like Pablo Gonzalez, who has been assistant conducting in London the past few years are refreshing to listen to. Asier Polo, also a native of Spain, has been getting very high marks with audiences and the press around Europe recently, so this concert was a nice one to run across.
In addition to the Schumann, the orchestra also plays Beethoven's Eroica Symphony and opens with the Overture to Los Escalvos Felices by Arriaga. A good concert all the way around and a nice antidote to Wednesday.
As always, the concert is complete and split into two parts - the top player features the Arriaga and Schumann and the player below features the Beethoven.
And for you note takers:
Matinés de Radio Clásica
Orquesta Ciudad de Granada. Concierto Sinfónico V
Concierto celebrado en el Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de Granada el 4 de diciembre de 2009.
ARRIAGA: Los esclavos felices (obertura). SCHUMANN: Concierto para violonchelo y orquesta en La menor, Op. 129. BEETHOVEN: Sinfonía nº 3 en Mi bemol mayor, Op. 55 “Heroica”. Asier Polo (vc.), Orq. Ciudad de Granada. Dir.: Pablo González.
Announcements are in Spanish. So is the orchestra and the players. But you don't have to be.
