Noteworthy

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Fire & Ice program pairs two towering figures of 20th-century music: Jean Sibelius and Dmitri Shostakovich. Though from different cultural landscapes, their works share a depth and emotional intensity that make this program particularly compelling. For TSO Music Director Gustavo Gimeno, these pieces offer a unique exploration of symphonic contrasts—from the cool expanses of Sibelius’s Nordic world to the fiery turbulence of Shostakovich’s Russia.

For the first time, Gimeno will conduct Sibelius’s Symphony No. 1. “This symphony is often compared to Tchaikovsky,” he explains, “but Sibelius has such a distinctive, original voice. You can hear how deeply expressive he is, and how daring his compositions are—even in his early work.”

Composed in 1899, Sibelius’s First Symphony opens with a haunting clarinet solo over soft timpani rolls, immediately creating a vast, Nordic atmosphere. This calm quickly gives way to sweeping orchestral textures—Sibelius’s hallmark of evoking the natural beauty of his homeland. The symphony’s grandeur and emotional depth make it both intimate and powerful.

Gimeno is eager to conduct the work, which has long been on his radar. “I’ve always been drawn to Sibelius’s daring and original compositions,” he says. “His ability to blend influences like Tchaikovsky and Borodin with a distinctly Finnish voice makes his music so compelling. The First Symphony is one I’ve wanted to conduct for a long time, and I’m excited to present it in Toronto.”

Complementing Sibelius in the Fire & Ice program is Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1, a piece that violinist Julian Rachlin feels profoundly connected to. Now serving as Music Director of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Rachlin brings both technical mastery to this powerful work.

“When Julian and I last worked together,” Gimeno recalls, “he told me that Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 is a work he feels incredibly close to—it’s a piece he’s spent years perfecting.”

Written during Stalin’s regime, Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto is filled with tension, raw emotion, and political undertones. Composed in a time when the composer was navigating censorship and personal turmoil, the concerto conveys a gripping sense of inner struggle and defiance. 

Together, these two works offer a striking contrast: the majestic beauty of Sibelius’s Nordic world and the intense drama of Shostakovich’s Russia. Yet, for all their differences, both pieces have the power to evoke deep emotions and capture the essence of the human experience through music.

As you listen, you might wonder: Will the sweeping beauty of Sibelius move you more, or will it be Shostakovich’s raw, visceral energy? Perhaps it’s the unexpected connections between these two worlds that will leave the deepest impression.

Join us as these musical paths converge.

Dates: Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 8:00pm & Sunday, November 17, 2024, at 3:00pm 

Venue: Roy Thomson Hall 

Program:

• Ana Sokolović: Concerto pour orchestre (15 min)
• Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99 (37 min)
• Sibelius: Symphony No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 39 (38 min)

Featured Artists:

• Gustavo Gimeno, conductor
• Julian Rachlin, violin