Brussels Philharmonic, Stephane Daneve

Beethoven Symphony No. 6 'Pastoral'
Connesson Flammenschrift
Connesson E chiaro nella valle il fiume appare
Respighi Pines of Rome

Launching their season is this evocative concert from Belgium's greatest symphony orchestra under its charismatic Music Director, Stéphane Denève. Beethoven's most illustrative symphony is a reflection of his feelings as a Romantic artist, music at its most imaginative and captivating.

The concluding hymn of thanksgiving remains one of the most joyful finales ever heard. Guillaume Connesson's music is an exhilarating mix of impressionist atmosphere and modern dynamism. His hurtling homage to Beethoven, Flammenschrift ('Written in Flame'), is a dramatic counterpart to his rich-hued E chiaro. Finally, Respighi's Pines of Rome offers an almost cinematic depiction of historic Rome, ending with a blaze of fanfares.