Inside Classical presents an evening of exquisite music with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by New Zealand-born Gemma New, artistic director, and principal conductor of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. The performance, recorded at Glasgow’s City Halls, airs on BBC Four on Sunday, the 9th of June 2024, at 8:30 pm.
The concert opens with a romantic violin concerto by Samuel Barber, composed in the late 1930s with a distinct American flavour. The concerto features the talented American-based violinist Geneva Lewis, currently one of BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Artists, who has performed with orchestras worldwide.
Following this, the orchestra presents Sara Gibson’s Warp and Weft, a contemporary work inspired by the feminist artist Miriam Schapiro. The piece, composed in 2019, explores the boundaries between craft and fine art, with its title referring to the basic parts of the handloom weaving process.
The highlight of the evening is Brahms’s Fourth Symphony, a romantic symphony that breaks with tradition. Composed in 1885, Brahms’s symphony begins in darkness and ends without a clear resolution, but along the way, it offers moments of cheer and serenity. It is a symphony that speaks honestly and humanly, enduring as a beloved work in the classical repertoire.
Inside Classical: Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra airs on BBC Four on Sunday, the 9th of June 2024, at 8:30 pm.
