Programme:
Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy-Overture for large orchestra

Ferenc Liszt
Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 2 in A major, S. 125

Bohuslav Martinů
Symphony No. 4, H 305

Cast:
Simon Trpčeski – piano
Risto Joost – conductor

The first performance of the Fantasy-Overture Romeo and Juliet was on March 4, 1870, in Moscow under N. Rubinstein’s baton and the author’s presence. Despite Tchaikovsky’s letter to his brother, in which he called it the greatest thing he ever created, his opinion soon changed and he decided to rework it. His second version was also not final; it was not until 1880 that he finally deemed the current version satisfying. As such, Tchaikovsky conducted it himself in 1888 at concerts in St. Petersburg, Berlin and Prague.

Liszt reworked his Second Piano Concerto several times as well. He began in 1839 and was finishing it ten years later; however, the final revision was not until 1861. His tremendous contribution to piano’s technique has a possible equivalent in the violin virtuoso N. Paganini. At that time, his piano technique was considered unconventional, but his piano became a powerful instrument imitating orchestra and thus was made suitable for large concert halls. Ostrava’s piano will be played by the Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski, who introduced himself with his recital in the 64th season. The conductor Risto Joost has a similar experience with Ostrava’s orchestra – he conducted the Poland concert tour last year and he performed with the JPO at the Saint Wenceslas Music Festival the year before.