Sauli Zinovjev *1988
Concerto for percussion and orchestra (world premiere, commissioned by the Beethoven Orchester Bonn)

Sergej Rachmaninow 1873-1943
Sinfonie Nr.2 e-Moll op. 27

Vivi Vassileva, Percussion
Beethoven Orchester Bonn
Dirk Kaftan, conductor

19:15 - Concert introduction with Dirk Kaftan and Tilmann Böttcher on stage.

An endless melody. The clarinet weaves its threads further and further – so far that it is impossible to say exactly where the theme ends. Perhaps one of the longest and most moving adagio themes in symphonic literature. Deep calm, bright beauty: this is the beginning of the slow movement of Sergei Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2 – after the passionate turbulence of its first movement and the fierce whirls of the second, you almost didn’t expect it. But Rachmaninov explores the whole circle of human emotions in this symphonic giant, which is rarely performed in Germany. The work was last performed by the Beethoven Orchestra in 2008 under its Ukrainian General Music Director Roman Kofman.music as a powerhouse of emotions: This idea unites the composers Sauli Zinovjev and Sergei Rachmaninov, who are separated by 115 years of musical history. Rachmaninov described music as a » mirror of life «, Zinoviev is convinced that a whole life can be reflected in a piece of music, indeed in a single moment. During the creation of this season’s issue, Sauli Zinovjev is writing a percussion concerto for the percussionist Vivi Vassileva (see also Im Spiegel 1) and for us. We are looking forward to his music and to the musical powerhouse Vivi Vassileva!