Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens, Schubert

Artists:

• Maksym Rymar, cello
• Lviv National Philharmonic Academic Symphony Orchestra
• Gudni Emilsson, conductor

Program:

• Felix Mendelssohn – Overture to the Singspiel “Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde,” Op. 89
• Camille Saint-Saëns – Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 33
• Franz Schubert – Symphony No. 4 in C Minor, “Tragic,” D 417

Felix Mendelssohn could hardly have imagined that his “Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde” (“The Return of the Wanderer”) would one day be performed in a philharmonic concert hall. This singspiel was originally composed for private family performance, dedicated to his parents’ silver wedding anniversary. Only 120 select guests had the privilege of hearing it. However, nearly two centuries later, the Overture to “Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde” will now take its rightful place on the concert stage.

It is symbolic that Schubert’s Symphony No. 4, known as the “Tragic” Symphony, was completed when the composer was the same age as Mendelssohn—approaching his twentieth birthday. Like Mendelssohn’s work, its public premiere took place long after the composer’s death. Nevertheless, Schubert’s only completed minor-key symphony stands out for its innovative approach and has earned a permanent place in the orchestral repertoire.

At the heart of the program lies the lyrical and virtuosic Cello Concerto No. 1 by Camille Saint-Saëns. As the composer himself stated after its premiere:

“Virtuosity gives a composer wings, allowing him to rise above the ordinary and the banal.”

We invite you to join Maksym Rymar, the Lviv National Philharmonic Academic Symphony Orchestra, and conductor Gudni Emilsson in soaring beyond the everyday—immersing yourself for one evening in the sublime blend of cello lyricism and orchestral brilliance.