Work of the Week - Ryan Wigglesworth: Violin Concerto

The World Premiere of Ryan Wigglesworth's new Violin Concerto takes place on 17th February at Amsterdam's Muziekgebouw, with soloist Gordon Nikolich and the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra conducted by the composer himself. A second performance will take place the following day.

Dedicated to Oliver Knussen in celebration of his 60th Birthday, the single movement work explores the lyricism of the violin taking the listener on a gripping journey.

The composer writes:

In a sense, the dramaturgy of the piece centres on a twofold search: first there is the ongoing pursuit to ‘recapture’ the simple melodic material stated by the solo violin (accompanied only by the harp’s bass register) in the opening bars. While aspects of this melody are frequently hinted at subsequently, it is only at the last, and most important, climax of the work that the melody appears again in its complete form, though now rendered as strident octaves by the violin and accompanied by violent, full orchestral stabs. The second search is for a tonal resting place, the arrival of which is delayed until the close of the epilogue. (Ryan Wigglesworth)

Additional performances of music by Wigglesworth include his orchestral work Sternenfall which will receive its Dutch premiere in Amsterdam on 19th May later this year.

• Ryan Wigglesworth - Profile
• Wigglesworth, Violin Concerto Details
  
• Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam