Nationaal Orkest van België olv. Zdenek Mácal

MAESTRO MIKKO FRANCK WILL BE REPLACED BY ZDENEK MACAL. For this concert the National Orchestra has invited two of the most promising top international soloists: flutist Sharon Bezaly and soprano Sally Matthews. Before the interval, you will hear one of Mozart's flute concertos written in Mannheim in 1778. Because Mozart lacked the time to finish this commission, he quickly composed an arrangement of his oboe concerto. But the fraud was discovered and as a consequence he was barely paid. The most recent CD recording of Mozart's flute concertos by Sharon Bezaly is internationally reckoned to amongst the best ever. In his Fourth Symphony, Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) reconnects with the 'classical' symphonic tradition, opting for a clear architecture while avoiding emotional extremes and ecstatic outbursts. Underpinning this is a poetic idea; the worldly and material grounding we hear in the first movement evolves into the pure innocence of 'Das Himmlische Leben' in the finale. Gradually the complexity of form gives way to an almost childish vision of paradise. In the naïve closing song, the bucolic, musical and especially the culinary delights of heaven are described: 'Peter and Saint Ursula rejoice in the dance, Saint John lets out the lamb and the holy Martha can start cooking.'