Laura Michelin in Ibert’s Flute Concerto

The French composer Jacques Ibert’s musical style is characterized by great variety and high virtuosity. His Flute Concerto from 1934 is therefore very demanding and was composed for the flutist and friend Marcel Moÿse (1889–1994). It has no clear, single stylistic direction but is inspired by and a mixture of widely different styles such as Baroque and late Romantic music, jazz, and Spanish influences. It also shows some influence from the music of Maurice Ravel and Igor Stravinsky.

Ibert had a great need for freedom, and he preferred to improvise freely and follow his own rules when composing. This also characterizes his flute concerto, which has been aptly described as “festive and cheerful, lyrical and inspired, suggestive and mildly tinged with burlesque, ironic humor.” Over the years, the concerto has become one of his most popular and performed works.

Beloved Romeo and Juliet

Pyotr Tchaikovsky composed Romeo and Juliet between 1869 and 1880. This is one of his most famous and beloved compositions, inspired by William Shakespeare’s tragic love story, and is considered Tchaikovsky’s first masterpiece. He described the piece as an “overture-fantasy,” and it follows a free sonata form that weaves together different themes. These represent the characters, moods, and events in the well-known play. Tchaikovsky succeeds in creating a dramatic and emotional narrative that captures the essence of Shakespeare’s tragedy.

After a slow and serious introduction, he vividly describes the feuds between the Montague and Capulet families, which stands in sharp contrast to the delicate love theme that follows. These two incompatible facets collide, and the impossible love story moves towards its inevitable fate. The work’s combination of lyrical beauty and dramatic intensity continues to touch and fascinate listeners worldwide.

Valborg Aulin in Paris

The Swedish composer Valborg Aulin composed Tableaux Parisiens (Parisian Pictures) in 1886 during her stay in the city. There she studied composition with Benjamin Godard and Jules Massenet, among others, but also took part in the cultural life, which naturally offered many impressions. One of these was a performance of Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, which provided inspiration for the work.

In Tableaux Parisiens, Aulin depicts a walk through the city in four movements. The journey begins on the lively boulevard, continues with a lovely evening serenade and an atmospheric ballroom scene, and ends in a festive mood with a spectacular fireworks display. The music is French-influenced but rests on a Nordic Romantic foundation with obvious folk music elements. The work was never performed during Aulin’s lifetime but is a testament to her skill as a composer and her excellent ability to convey emotions and moods through music.