Dvorak - Cello Concerto in B Minor
March 5, 2022
Haddon Kay performs Antonín Dvořák's Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104, B. 191 as winner of the Bienen School's Concerto/Aria Competition. Victor Yampolsky conducts the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra.
(00:15) Allegro
(16:09) Adagio, ma non troppo
(27:00) Finale: Allegro moderato- Andante-Allegro vivo
Program Note
This performance was presented in a program showcasing three contrasting concertos demonstrating the wide stylistic breadth of the genre. Presented chronologically, these works encompass heartfelt romanticism, youthful vibrance, and powerful new repertoire. Beginning with the jewel of Romantic music wrought with German and Slavic culture, the Dvořák Concerto in B minor (video above) is a treasured work of the cello literature. Stylistically Romantic, the work is stunningly tender with heartfelt melodic writing and treacherous solo passages. Contrasting this, Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 exudes winning optimism, masterful technique for the solo performer, and rich lyrical writing. The program concludes with the "Rush" Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra by Kenneth Fuchs, who captures the sounds of the New York music scene through transcendent and vibrant solo and orchestral writing.