Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra

David Robertson begins his final season as Chief Conductor with a concert of music celebrating the power of the orchestra.

Taras Bulba is Janáček’s homage to the fearless spirit of Russia, personified by the 16th-century Cossack hero. Depicting three scenes from Nikolai Gogol’s epic novel, Taras Bulba is intense, vast, violent and vividly colourful.

Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra is a modern classic – a sensational showcase for a hundred brilliant musicians in full flight, especially in the thrilling whirlwind of a finale.

Steve Reich’s iconic minimalist works have influenced classical, electronic and pop music. In the same tradition as Bartók’s concerto, his latest work is for an ensemble of soloists within a larger orchestral background. Reich’s shimmering music pulses with life.

Hear this: Be among the first in the world to hear Steve Reich’s Music for Ensemble and Orchestra: this Sydney Symphony Orchestra co-commission will premiere in Los Angeles in late 2018.

Sydney Symphony Orchestra performs Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House 13 – 16 February 2019.