Rpo: Beethoven And Dvořák

Pure sonic sunshine, as the inimitable Sunwook Kim conducts (and plays) Beethoven.‘Thus fate knocks at the door’: even if you’ve never heard a Beethoven symphony, you’ll know the shattering four notes that open his Fifth.Enjoy Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony? Now discover his symphony from the old world! Dvořák simply couldn’t stop writing good tunes, and his Eighth Symphony begins with a hymn and ends with an all-out knees-up.In between, you’ll hear birdsong, thunder, village bands and graceful waltzes: this is folk music turned to symphonic gold, and it’s the perfect complement to Smetana’s joyous comedy overture.This is a concert that positively sparkles with sunlight – and masterpieces don’t get much sunnier than Beethoven’s youthful First Piano Concerto, especially when played by Sunwook Kim, a pianist and conductor who sees far beyond the notes.

Tonight, he directs Beethoven’s Concerto from the keyboard, just like the composer himself.