Most people know composer Kurt Weill for his music in The Threepenny Opera, The Rise and Fall of Mahagonny, Lady in the Dark and more. Less is known of his classical music. One of his major compositions is his Violin Concerto written in 1925. As part of a new series called The Weimar Republic: Germany 1918-1935, Esa-Pekka Salonen will lead the LA Philharmonic in three performances of the concerto beginning Friday night.
Carolin Widmann is the soloist for this nearly 30-minute concerto. Weill did not construct this in a traditional sense. There is an opening movement Andante con moto. This is followed by a three-part second movement: Notturno: Allegro un poco tent, Cadenza: Moderato and Serenata: Allegretto. The final movement is Allegro motto, un poco agitato.
As a composer Weill combined deeply held political opinions with a rather sardonic sense of humor. That is apparent in this concerto.
Opening the program of all German compositions is Paul Hindemith’s Rag Time (on a Theme by J.S. Bach). The Weill concerto follows.
The second half of the program has two of Bach’s works arranged by Schoenberg: Schmücke dich, o liebe Selle and Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heilger Geist. The concert concludes with Hindemith’s 25-mninute Symphony: Mathis de Maler.
The latter work was originally going to be an opera. But the events of World War II and the rise of the Nazi Party (coupled with Hindemith’s absolute detestation of the Nazis) meant this work was given its premiere in 1934 as a symphonic work.
For tickets on Friday night go here.
For tickets on Saturday night go here.
For tickets on Sunday afternoon go here.
Photo of violinist Carolin Widmann by Lennard Ruehle/Courtesy of the artist
