(MENAFN- Gulf Times)
The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) will hold two concerts this month, featuring Prokofiev's *Symphony No. 1 in D Major on February 17 and Beethoven's best dramatic works, *Leonore Overture No. 3 and *Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major Eroica Symphony 17 on February 21 at Katara – the Cultural Village Opera House. Prokofiev's *Symphony No. 1 in D Major was composed as a modern reinterpretation of the classical styles of Haydn and Mozart, and remains one of his most popular works.
The performance, conducted by Andreas Weiser, will also feature Dvorak's *Symphony No. 9 in E Minor 'From the New World', though it is more widely known as New World Symphony.
It was written while the composer was living and working in New York City and was purportedly inspired by Dvorak's reflections on his American setting.
Weiser, a graduate of the Berlin University of the Arts, was a finalist in the first annual Arturo Toscanini International Conducting Competition held in Italy in 1985.
While on a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service, he also studied under Václav Neumann at the Czech Philharmonic (1984).
One year later, he became the second conductor to the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra.
In 1990, when the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra selected him to be their principal conductor, he became the youngest musical director in Germany.
Weiser has conducted the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Berne Symphony Orchestra, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra in Leipzig, and the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra.
Prokofiev's *Symphony No. 1 is designated as the Classical Symphony, a name given to it by the composer himself, by dint of its numerous Classical inspirations, both in structure and orchestration.
He intermixed elegantly elements of the old and the new styles to create the overall sense of balance, lightness and brilliance so characteristic to the gallant style without forgetting to make his music sound daring and playful, just as Haydn would have liked it.
Meanwhile, Dvorak's *From the New World Symphony was completed early in 1893.
The title and context of this major piece place it a priori under the spotlight of the early-stated native-American music influence, where the African-American predominating presence coincided with the rise of ragtime.
This filiation of the piece generated some controversy.
An article published in the *New York Herald on December 15, 1893 (just before the premiere), quoted Dvorak as saying: 'I have not actually used any of the melodies. I have simply written original themes embodying the peculiarities of the Indian music, and, using these themes as subjects, have developed them with all the resources of modern rhythms, counterpoint, and orchestral colour.'
The QPO is also presenting a concert featuring two of Beethoven's best dramatic works: *Leonore Overture No. 3 and *Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major 'Eroica Symphony' on February 21.
*Fidelio, originally titled *Leonore, is his only opera.
Beethoven produced four versions of the overture to *Fidelio, though *Leonore Overture No. 3 is regarded as the most powerful and theatrical of the overtures.
His *Symphony No. 3, also known as *Eroica Symphony due to its supposed heroic nature, premiered in 1805, and was greater and more intense than customary symphonies at the time.
The piece is one of Beethoven's chiefly instrumental works, and is regarded as a turning point in musical history as it marks the beginning of the second period in his career.
Beethoven original intended to dedicate its symphony to Napoleon whom he had long admired, but Beethoven become disappointed when Napoleon crowned himself emperor in 1804.
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