Sound and Music

FRIDAY 11 DECEMBER
Barbican, 7.00pm

GYÖRGY KURTÁG ...quasi una fantasia…
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major, K. 271
KODÁLY Mátra Pictures
BARTÓK The Miraculous Mandarin

Robert Spano conductor
Jonathan Biss piano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Singers

Musical strands of Hungary and Austria combine in a programme spanning more than two centuries of history. Bartók recovered from a near-fatal brush with Spanish Flu in 1918 and began work soon after on his sensational ‘pantomime’, The Miraculous Mandarin. Bartók’s vibrant orchestrations, thrusting rhythms and folk themes made a strong impression on the young György Kurtág. His …quasi una fantasia… (1987-8) explores the mysterious boundary lands between sound and silence.

Pre-concert talk
Barbican Hall, 6.00pm
An introduction to tonight’s concert.

BBC Family Music Intro concert
An introduction to concert-going for families with tickets at £5 each and a free Meet the Musicians Family event.

Tickets: £24 £20 £16 £12 £8

Book here