Shostakovich’s 8th

 Tonight, Amare reverberates to the colossal, ferocious tones of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8, a piece written to the blood, fire and steel of the German assault on the Soviet Union in 1943, yet which somehow manages to portray the small and personal as well. Profound depth in dark times, raw and real – and, as such, a very special example of how music can bring history to life and remind us of the humanity concealed within.

Cellist Mischa Maisky is a living legend who has played solos on all the world’s big stages for fifty years. He is famous for his expressive, warm and masterful play that reveals the music’s soul. The melancholy yet opulent Schelomo is a perfect match for Maisky’s instrumental artistry, as well as his sense of flair. This piece was written in 1916 by Ernest Bloch, and uses the cello to translate the voice and thoughts of King Solomon into deep, solid tones. The orchestra paints the world around him, and the response of the Jewish people. The evening begins with a new work by one of the Netherlands’ most talented young composers, Amarante Nat, specially composed for the Residentie Orkest: Through Absence.