We asked our concertmaster and soloist for this concert, Michael Sutton, to share a few words about Samuel Barber’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra. Here is what he said:
“When Manny asked me what I would like to play with the BSO, the very first thing that came to mind was the Barber. And Manny swears he knew I would choose it before he even asked.
“I often play the first 90 seconds of the piece to test the capabilities of a violin, because it demonstrates many of the things a fiddle needs to be able to do.
“The second movement has that trademark Barber heartfelt quality heard in his Adagio for Strings. It has a great deal of meaning to me personally, as I have played it (per their request) at two of my grandparents’ memorial services.
“The third movement is pure energy combined with controlled chaos, and is one of the most technically demanding 6 minutes in the violin repertoire.”
Michael will be playing the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra at the BSO’s concert, “Anybody Here Speak American?” on Sunday, November 16. To learn more about the program, visit the November concert page. To order tickets, click here.
We hope to see you on November 16!