The programme of the concert, by the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Sir Mark Elder, also includes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 and Ottorino Respighi’s Fountains of Rome.
Szymanowski’s Second Violin Concerto was written between 1932 and 1933 and was the composer's last major work before his death in 1937, at the age of 55. It was premiered by Polish violinist Paweł Kochański in Warsaw in October 1933.
The Hallé Orchestra writes on its website that the composition is “infused with Polish folk music from the Tatra mountains, which Szymanowski said was ‘the discovery of one’s own jewels’ when he encountered it.”
Born in 1987, Nicola Benedetti is considered to be one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation. Last year, she became the first woman to be appointed the director of the Edinburgh International Festival, an annual music and arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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