Richard Strauss once joked that he could depict even a knife and fork in music. So now imagine a panorama of the Roman Campagna, a moonlit Mediterranean beach and a carnival in Naples, painted in glowing orchestral colours with all the high spirits of a young genius on holiday - and loving every minute of it. When Christoph König conducts Strauss's joyous Aus Italien, you'll wonder why we don't hear it more often. Brahms's noble Haydn Variations, which opens the new concert season, and Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto are rather more familiar. But wait 'til you hear Mendelssohn's much-loved melodies in the hands of our soloist, the extraordinary Kristóf Baráti.
Currently scheduled to be recorded for future broadcast on Â鶹ÊÓƵAV Radio 3.
Pre-Concert Talk 6.45pm (free to ticket-holders): Kristóf Barati in conversation with Dominic Parker (Director Â鶹ÊÓƵAV SSO) about the concerto in tonight's concert, and about musical life in general.