Debussy, Filidei and Prokofiev

The evening

Sir Simon Rattle returns for Debussy’s sultry tone poem, a thrilling new Viola Concerto and Prokofiev’s most beautiful and compelling symphony.

In 1894, Debussy changed music forever. With its shimmering harmonies conjuring dreamlike atmospheres, the Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune delighted early audiences with its hazy portrayal of a faun in the heat of a summer afternoon.

Prokofiev wrote his Symphony No 5 in 1944 as Soviet forces pushed back the Nazi invasion and wanted the work to ‘sing the praises of the free and happy man’. The music is steadfastly noble, with a powerfully epic first movement and a central Adagio of almost overwhelming beauty. The heady, optimistic final movement is so dynamic and characterful it’s clearly an inspiration for many a Hollywood film score.

Plus, you can hear the UK premiere of Francesco Filidei’s theatrical, exploratory Concerto for Viola. Filidei’s music is a relatively recent discovery for Sir Simon Rattle and he calls the work ‘a masterpeice’. ‘It’s not just the sheer sensual beauty that he creates,’ explains the conductor, ‘but the sense of humour … it is a way of writing music that draws the audience in.’

Sir Simon Rattle brings a mastery of orchestral colour to these vibrant works, and is joined by violist Antoine Tamestit, to whom Filidei has dedicated his Concerto.