Stephen Waarts, enjoyed by audiences globally for his ‘expressive fire and tonal vitality’ (Süddeutsche Zeitung), joins Hallé Artist-in-Residence Thomas Adès to perform in Rautavaara’s final opus.

Finnish composer Rautavaara’s Deux Sérénades is a delicately poignant work in two movements: the first, ‘For my love’, is rich with emotive, yearning melodies; the second, ‘For life’, is more contemplative, until a suddenly frantic finish. Thomas Adès’ Aquifer is brimming with fluid motifs and rhythms that expand and withdraw as the water would in its namesake geological structure. Stephen Waarts will perform Adès’ Air – Homage to Sibelius, a transformative work first premiered earlier this year.

Book-ending tonight’s concert are two Sibelius symphonies, his Fifth and Seventh. The latter, like Air, was composed in one single movement, yet it is no less full of rhythmic variety.

 

 

Have a listen ahead of the concert!