Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2

The evening features three works: the world premiere of Djuro Zivkovic's Noosphere Exists, Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2, and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5. Conductor: Christian Karlsen.

Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 (1900-1901) emerged after a prolonged period of depression and creative crisis - triggered by the catastrophic reception of his first symphony - and following treatment with doctor Nikolai Dahl, he regained his confidence. The result is one of the most frequently performed piano concertos in the romantic repertoire.

Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 was composed in 1944, during the Second World War in a Soviet Union marked by patriotism and oppression. Prokofiev described it as "a tribute to the noble spirit of the free and happy human being", yet the music also contains irony, sorrow, and political ambivalence beneath the surface.

Swedish-Serbian composer Djuro Zivkovic has received commissions from the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Klangforum Wien. His music has deep roots in Orthodox mysticism, and texts from the Orthodox anthology Philokalia have served as the foundation for several of his works - including Noosphere Exists, which is performed here for the first time.

Programme
Djuro Zivkovic - Noosphere Exists, world premiere (approx. 15 min)
Sergei Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2 (approx. 32 min)
Intermission 25 minutes
Sergei Prokofiev - Symphony No. 5 (approx. 46 min)