Rain date: 9 July
RAIN RULES

Symphony No. 2 in D major, op. 36
Romance in G major, op. 40
Romance No. 2 in F major, op. 50
Symphony No. 7 in A major, op. 92

Júlia Pusker violin
Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor: Domonkos Héja

Beethoven wrote Symphony No. 2 in D major in a period of his life known for his writing of the Heiligenstadt Testament, which provided a deeply personal confession. One much-discussed and notably contradictory aspect of the piece is that while the testament confronted the horror of deafness, it also presents a Beethoven who stays true to his humanist principles despite his broken spirit, while his symphony is full of serenity and energy, playfulness and humour. Symphony No. 7 in A major (1811–1813), written a decade later, represents a different phase of the composer’s career. The work was conceived under the spell of dactylic rhythm. Wagner called it “the apotheosis of dance”, and the often ecstatically powerful music presents a vision of the rapture of a Dionysian feast. Between two symphonies of a decidedly boisterous character, two violin romances (F-major: 1798, and G-major: 1801/1802) appear as an island of peace. The romances occupy a special place in the composer’s ouevre: while most of Beethoven’s creations contain fraught, demanding music that is rich in conflict, these two gentle works are the epitome of composure and poise, akin to two devoted prayers. Júlia Pusker is one of the finest young violinists in Hungary. After graduating from the Liszt Academy in Budapest, she completed her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Domonkos Héja (b.1974) founded the Danubia Orchestra at the age of 19. Later, the Hungarian State Opera was one of his most important places of work, while he has also fulfilled a series of guest roles abroad.