Tabakova, Fantasia & Fireworks

Expect fireworks: new music by the BBC Concert Orchestra’s composer in residence, Dobrinka Tabakova, converses with Stravinsky’s three-minute fantasy.

Tabakova has been described as a composer of ‘exciting, deeply moving’ music (Washington Times), with ‘glowing tonal harmonies and grand, sweeping gestures [which] convey a huge emotional depth’ (The Strad).

This concert curated by the composer opens with Vaughan Williams’ ever-popular homage to Renaissance music, Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis.

Tabakova’s Concerto for cello & strings includes three movements, ‘Turbulent’, ‘Longing’ and ‘Radiant’, but the composer states, ‘I prefer to think of it as one seamless form – a journey.’

She introduces the first movement: ‘Continuing a personal exploration of block structures, [it] presents a dialogue between very turbulent and angular material and a more still, folk-reminiscent theme decorated with expressive grace notes.’

The soloist is Laura van der Heijden, winner of the 2012 BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition, whose recent debut album won the 2018 Edison Klassiek Award.

Stravinsky composed Feu d'artifice (Fireworks) as a wedding present for the daughter of the composer Rimsky-Korsakov. It may only last about three minutes but it’s a spectacular display.

At the close of the concert, we hear the world premiere of Tabakova’s Concerto for orchestra.