Monday 17 March 2025 7.30pm
Join the London Philharmonic Orchestra as they showcase two icons of the symphonic repertoire. Robert Schumann’s breathtaking Piano Concerto in A minor is possibly his most famous composition, which can also be said of Gustav Mahler’s Fifth Symphony with its evocative fourth movement, the Adagietto. Swiss pianist Francesco Piemontesi will guide us through Schumann’s music, and the orchestra invites guest conductor Robin Ticciati to take the podium and lead us from despair to delight in Mahler’s magnificent fifth.
Schumann – Piano Concerto
Beginning with one of the most celebrated piano concertos ever written, Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor provides a sparkling start to the evening’s performance. Francesco Piemontesi at the piano will illustrate for us the tussle between Schumann’s two musical alter-egos, Florestan and Eusebius—the exuberant extrovert and the introspective wallflower. These personalities are musically represented in the opening movement by the loud, playful descending chords with which Schumann commences the concerto, and the more melancholic, lyrical melody that follows in the oboe. With hidden messages for his beloved wife Clara sewn into the fabric of this music, and a borrowed motif from her own Piano Concerto, this piece can be seen as an emotive outpouring of Robert Schumann’s love for Clara and the internal struggles he battled throughout his life.
Mahler – Symphony No. 5
Following this iconic piano concerto is another giant of the classical canon: Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Composed at his holiday home nestled among the picturesque lakes of Carinthia in Austria, the symphony kept Mahler busy as he recuperated from a near-fatal brain haemorrhage in the tranquil countryside.
Opening with a funeral march that betrays Mahler’s state of mind as he began composing this piece, the austere trumpet fanfare is followed by an equally dramatic second movement, where the violins are instructed to play as vehemently as possible (“mit grösster Vehemenz”).
The third movement represents the central section of the three-part form that structures this work, thematically and harmonically binding the outer sections. The French horn features prominently in this movement, its bright tone contrasting the murky string writing.
Finally, we reach perhaps the most famous piece of music ever penned by this symphonic colossus: the Adagietto. Stripping back his orchestration to strings and harp only, this haunting music quotes Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde as well as a song of Mahler’s own. Mahler sent this musical love letter to his soon-to-be wife Alma after it was written, and they were married soon after. The finale that follows is a contrapuntal tour de force with a fugue, rondo, and chorale tying up this epic journey from tragedy to triumph.
Don’t miss this unforgettable evening with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring two towering works of the classical repertoire performed by world-renowned artists. Experience the passion of Schumann’s Piano Concerto and the emotional journey of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony in the stunning acoustics of The Bridgewater Hall.
Book your tickets now for this extraordinary concert!
Robin Ticciati
A British conductor of Italian ancestry, Robin Ticciati studied at Clare College, Cambridge, before being mentored by legends Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Colin Davis. Ticciati’s conducting career began with his becoming the youngest ever to hold the baton at the famous Teatro alla Scala at the age of 22. From there, he has gone on to work with orchestras and opera companies across Europe and is now Music Director at both the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Glyndebourne Festival Opera.
Francesco Piemontesi
Born in Locarno in the Swiss Alps, Francesco Piemontesi has travelled the world with his instrument, performing with orchestras across Europe, Asia, and the United States. He has made a name for himself as a leading interpreter of German classical compositions.
