PERFORMERS

ORQUESTRA SIMFÒNICA DE BARCELONA I NACIONAL DE CATALUNYA (OBC)
Pablo González, conductor
Benjamin Schmid, violin

WORKS

GARRETA: Illes Medes
KORNGOLD: Concerto for violin and orchestra
STRAUSS: A Hero's Life

The piece entitled Illes Medes is one of the undisputed highlights of Catalan music. A symphonic poem inspired by Strauss, it is the homage by Juli Garreta to one of the most iconic landscapes in his country: the Empordà. Known for his body of sardana work, the musician from Sant Feliu de Guíxols excelled in orchestral music, a constant homage to nature (evident in Impressions Simfòniques, Preludi Mediterrani and Suite Empordanesa). The description of landscape reaches its utmost detail here. In 2011, the OBC offered an intense approach to this work during the recording of the eponymous album released by Tritó. Teaming Garreta with Strauss is, therefore, more appropriate than ever: A Hero's Life (Ein Heldenleben) is one of the masterpieces of the form, an autobiographical tale in which the composer describes himself as a paradigm of heroism (imposing his art freely, often against the fanfare of critics and detractors). For Strauss, it was one of his most intimate works and even enabled him to quote part of his own symphonic poems. Also created with quotes from his own soundtracks, the concerto for violin and orchestra in D major by Korngold is an inexhaustible source of fine melodies and emotions.