TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s National Symphony Orchestra will take audiences on a journey through the sweeping passions of Romanticism and the elusive dimensions of time.
The new season is anchored around four thematic pillars: Robert Schumann, Gustav Mahler, Johannes Brahms, and the concept of time itself. Building on last season’s focus, the orchestra will continue to examine Mahler’s evolving compositional style, offering audiences a deeper understanding of his orchestral depth and emotional nuance.
Opening on Friday under the baton of Lu Shao-chia (呂紹嘉), the orchestra will present two concerts with celebrated violinists spanning different generations. Russian virtuoso Viktoria Mullova will perform on Friday, followed by Taiwanese violinist Richard Lin (林品任) on Sept. 27.
Mullova will perform Jean Sibelius’ “Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47,” a work that blends virtuosic solo passages with symphonic depth, often described as a meditative orchestral journey. The program culminates with Mahler’s “Symphony No. 7.”
Mahler's symphony is commonly known as the “Song of the Night.” It ranges from the introspective second and fourth movements to a lively, dance-infused finale, capturing humor, romance, and Mahler’s profound connection to nature.
“I am thrilled to collaborate with Viktoria Mullova for the first time,” Lu said. “Sibelius’ concerto and Mahler’s ‘Seventh’ are cornerstones of late 19th- and early 20th-century music, yet each performance reveals new insights.” Mahler’s work, he noted, is layered, shifting from moments of near-chaotic intensity to subtle structures that emerge only through careful listening.
On Sept. 27, Lu reunites with Richard Lin for a program featuring Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 77,” Igor Stravinsky’s neoclassical “Pulcinella Suite,” and Sergei Prokofiev’s rarely performed “Scythian Suite.”
Stravinsky’s suite showcases his signature wit and elegance, while Shostakovich’s concerto conveys the tension and oppression of his era intertwined with virtuosic brilliance. Prokofiev’s piece alternates between intense, dramatic passages and near-silence, with its eight French horns delivering strikingly vivid effects.
