‘National Orchestra of Belgium’

For the Fête de la musique we are focusing on a number of musicians from the National Orchestra who are always real virtuosos on their instrument. Cellist Olsi Leka plays solo in Woldemar Bargiel’s Adagio (a contemporary of Schumann and Mendelssohn) and the irrepressible Kol Nidrei, for which Bruch drew inspiration from Jewish melodies. Also from Bruch we have the classical-romantic Double concerto, in which clarinettist Roeland Hendrikx and viola player Marc Sabbah enter into dialogue with each other and the orchestra. We conclude with Beethoven’s less well-known Second Symphony. The ever pugnacious composer’s jolting rhythms in the finale drove the music critics of the time up the wall.