Balakirev Islamey (Oriental Fantasy)
Khachaturian Piano Concerto
Kalinnikov Symphony No. 1

Osmo Vänskä conductor
Marc-André Hamelin piano

Forced out of music college, dismissed by his compositional elders and struggling with tuberculosis, Vassily Kalinnikov was staring both death and failure in the face when his First Symphony was premiered in Kiev in 1897. But that soon changed, and this momentous and haunting piece handed Kalinnikov a brief taste of success before his tragically early death just four years later. Four decades after that came the first performance of Aram Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto in Moscow – a piece whose unusual sonorities and sparkling, swaggering brilliance proved just as pivotal.

Free pre-concert event | 6.15pm–6.45pm | Royal Festival Hall
David Nice discusses the evening’s programme.

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Hear it first!
Select a link below to listen to selected movements from this concert (Flash Player opens in a new window).

Balakirev: Islamey (Oriental Fantasy)
Khachaturian: Piano Concerto - I. Allegro ma non troppo e maestoso
Khachaturian: Piano Concerto - III. Allegro brillante
Kalinnikov: Symphony No. 1 in G minor - I. Allegro moderato
Kalinnikov: Symphony No. 1 in G minor - III. Scherzo: Allegro non troppo

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