GRIEG PIANO CONCERTO
Alessio Bax
Alessio Bax
Combining exceptional lyricism and insight with consummate technique , Alessio Bax is without a doubt “ among the most remarkable young pianists now before the public ” ( Gramophone ). He catapulted to prominence with First Prize wins at both the Leeds and Hamamatsu International Piano Competitions , and is now a familiar face on five continents , not only as a recitalist and chamber musician , but also as a concerto soloist who has appeared with more than 150 orchestras , including the London , Royal , and St . Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestras , the New York , Boston , Dallas , Cincinnati , Seattle , Sydney , and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestras , and the NHK Symphony in Japan , collaborating with such eminent conductors as Marin Alsop , Vladimir Ashkenazy , Sir Andrew Davis , Fabio Luisi , Sir Simon Rattle , Yuri Temirkanov , and Jaap van Zweden .
Bax constantly explores many facets of his career . He released his 11 Signum Classics album , Italian Inspirations , whose program was also the vehicle for his solo recital debut at New York ’ s 92nd Street Y , as well as on tour . He recently debuted with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra , playing Schumann Concerto and the Seattle Symphony with Saint- Saëns ’ Second Piano Concerto and embarked on a trio tour of Spain with violinist Joshua Bell and cellist Steven Isserlis . Bax and his regular piano duo partner , Lucille Chung , gave recitals at New York ’ s Lincoln Center and were featured with the St . Louis Symphony and Stéphane Denève . He has also toured extensively with
Marco Borggreve
Joshua Bell and presented the complete works of Beethoven for cello and piano with cellist Paul Watkins in New York City .
Bax revisited Mozart ’ s K . 491 and K . 595 concertos , as heard on Alessio Bax Plays Mozart , for his recent debuts with the Boston and Melbourne Symphonies , both with Sir Andrew Davis , and with the Sydney Symphony , which he led himself from the keyboard . In addition , Bax made his solo recital debut at London ’ s Wigmore Hall , and give concerts at L . A .’ s Disney Hall , Washington ’ s Kennedy Center , and New York ’ s Carnegie Hall .
As a renowned chamber musician , he recently collaborated with Joshua Bell , Ian Bostridge , Lucille Chung , Steven Isserlis , Daishin Kashimoto , Sergei Nakariakov , Emmanuel Pahud , Lawrence Power , Jean-Guihen Queyras , Paul Watkins and Tabea Zimmermann .
Since 2017 he has been the Artistic Director of the Incontri in Terra di Siena Festival , a Summer Music Festival in the Val d ’ Orcia region of Tuscany . He appears regularly in festivals such as Seattle , Bravo Vail , Salon-de-Provence , Le Pont in Japan , Great Lakes , Verbier , Ravinia and Music @ Menlo .
In 2009 , he was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant , and four years later he received both the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award and the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists .
Bax ’ s celebrated Signum Classics discography includes Beethoven ’ s “ Hammerklavier ” and “ Moonlight ” Sonatas ( a Gramophone “ Editor ’ s Choice ”); Beethoven ’ s “ Emperor ” Concerto ; Bax & Chung , a duo disc with Lucille Chung ; Alessio Bax plays Mozart , recorded with London ’ s Southbank Sinfonia ; Alessio Bax : Scriabin & Mussorgsky ( named “ Recording of the Month … and quite possibly … of the year ” by MusicWeb International ); Alessio Bax plays Brahms ( a Gramophone “ Critics ’ Choice ”); Bach Transcribed ; and Rachmaninov : Preludes & Melodies ( an American Record Guide “ Critics ’ Choice 2011 ”). Recorded for Warner Classics , his Baroque Reflections album was also a Gramophone “ Editor ’ s Choice .” He performed Beethoven ’ s “ Hammerklavier ” Sonata for Daniel Barenboim in the PBS-TV documentary Barenboim on Beethoven : Masterclass , available on DVD from EMI .
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
By Catherine Case
Frederick Delius
Born January 29 , 1862 in Bradford , England Died June 10 , 1934 Grez-sur-Loing , France
THE WALK TO THE PARADISE GARDEN [ 1906 ]
Frederick Delius is considered one of the most important British composers of the early 20 th century , yet he spent most of his adult life abroad . His parents were German immigrants and his father , who was a successful wool merchant , expected Delius to take over the family business despite his son ’ s musical ambitions . Delius complied for a number of years , but had no aptitude for the work . His father , still opposed to music , arranged for him to move to Florida to manage an orange plantation . But the determined Delius eventually found his way to the Leipzig Conservatory for formal training . There he met Edvard Grieg , who provided the encouragement and validation Delius needed to pursue a career as a composer . Grieg ’ s use of Norwegian folk idioms in his music also sparked Delius ’ s curiosity in English folk songs , an interest that greatly impacted his developing style .
Delius ’ s opera , A Village Romeo and Juliet , is based on a novella by Swiss author Gottfried Keller , whose story of young peasants from warring families is set against a backdrop of natural beauty that has no regard for human suffering . The Walk to the Paradise Garden is an orchestral interlude depicting a moment of happiness as the lovers retreat into nature , briefly escaping their harsh reality . Delius added this interlude five years after completing the opera , when it became apparent that lengthier music was needed to accommodate a scene change . Although the opera failed to become a staple of the repertoire , the picturesque interlude stands on its own as a remarkable example of Delius ’ s musical style and command of orchestral color .
Instrumentation Two flute , two oboe , english horn , two clarinet , two bassoon , four horn , two trumpets , three trombones , timpani , harp .
26 OVERTURE / BSOmusic . org