Faces of Love

The reception of the famous Overture-Fantasy Romeo and Juliet was lukewarm at best. Once again, in the case of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, neither the audience nor the critics recognised the masterpiece. Following the ceremonial introduction by clarinets and bassoons, the composer introduced two contrasting themes. The first, aggressive and brutal, symbolises the feuding Capulet and Montague families; the second is the magnificent love theme of Romeo and Juliet, sung by the English horn and violas. It is perhaps the most beautiful love music ever created for many music lovers. A Valentine's Day concert is a perfect occasion to hear it. But that's not all.

That evening will also feature the extremely rarely performed Concerto for Violin and Clarinet in B-flat Major by Carl Philipp Stamitz, a true treat for music aficionados. Stamitz was a contemporary of Haydn and Mozart, leaving behind approximately 50 symphonies and 60 concertos.

The legacy of the prematurely deceased Mieczysław Karłowicz is much smaller. Eternal Songs is perhaps the most personal work of the Philharmonic's patron. It is a kind of symphonic triptych. Although it reveals many features typical of late Romantic compositions, we also find here the lyrical, expansive themes with a distinctly Slavic tint, so characteristic of Karłowicz.

Overture-fantasy Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky performed by The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk:

Excerpt from the Eternal Songs by Karłowicz performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Grzegorz Nowak: