Glière: Concerto for Harp - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (Live)

Defined by its ravishingly beautiful music for soloist and the Romantic lyricism of its orchestral themes, Reinhold Glière’s Concerto for Harp blends virtuoso display with passages of profound stillness and concentration. In this concert, exclusive to Apple Music Classical, Vienna Philharmonic harpist Anneleen Lenaerts brings the experience of recording the work to her entrancing performance at the Musikverein. The three-movement concerto, written shortly before the Second World War, includes a set of variations on a haunting introspective theme and the exquisite dialogue for harp and orchestra that launches its finale. “Gliere was friends with Ksenia Erdely, who was a very important harpist at the time,” notes Anneleen. “She worked closely with him, so it’s very well written for the harp.” The piece, she observes, goes straight to the heart. “You have these big, lush romantic phrases and also popular themes and rhythms that make it very enjoyable to play and to listen to.” Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony catches fire from the moment of its mighty opening fanfares for horns and brass. Early critics associated the work’s first movement with the relentless march of fate, a comparison magnified by Tugan Sokhiev and the Vienna Philharmonic in their impassioned performance. Conductor and orchestra dig deep beneath the music’s surface to reveal a musical universe filled with complex emotions and inner tensions. They unlock the full force of the work’s finale, in which Tchaikovsky delivers a life-enhancing blast of what he described as “festive merriment” before reminding listeners of fate’s habit of turning joy into sorrow. Head to the final track to listen to Vienna Philharmonic harpist Anneleen Lenaerts’ full commentary on this concert.