The Berliner Philharmoniker's 2016 Europakonzert throws the spotlight on Norway with a Nordic-influenced program recorded at the Baroque church in Røros, Norway—with Sir Simon Rattle taking the helm of the legendary ensemble alongside virtuoso Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang!
Beginning the program is a work by beloved Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, Evening in the Mountains, from his Op. 68 Lyric Pieces—originally written for solo piano but arranged for orchestra by the composer. This majestic piece, brimming with diverse themes, evokes dreams, melancholy, and the ineffable mysteries of nature. The Berlin Phil then joins the reliably excellent Frang for an impeccable rendition of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor, one of the quintessential works of German Romanticism, thematically rich and brimming with melody. Frang's encore returns us to the soundscapes of Norway with Veslefrikk, the second movement from Norwegian composer Bjarne Brustad's Eventyrsuite (Fairy Tale Suite) for solo violin. Finally, Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker close out the memorable evening with Beethoven's Eroica Symphony No. 3, a watershed moment in classical music history that broke with traditional symphonic form and paved the way for unimagined formal innovation.
