Elemental emotions in music - Fear and surprise

Repertoire:

• Haydn: Symphony in G major ('Surprise'), Hob. I:94 - II. Andante (excerpt)
• Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op. 15, No. 11 - Fürchtenmachen
• Schubert: Der Tod und das Mädchen, D. 531
• Mozart: Don Giovanni, K. 527 - 'Don Giovanni, a cenar teco” (The Commendatore Scene, Act II)
• Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain

One common denominator between fear and surprise is that both these fundamental emotions usually have a concrete subject. You could make an endless list of the different types of fears or phobias, many of which retain an element of the absurd. We are often afraid of that we do not know, or of what awaits us. Of course, we might well be afraid of current events, too. Fear is often an immediate reaction, just like surprise. The latter can and should be interpreted in relation to our expectations. Even if we are definitely expecting one thing to happen, the vicissitudes of circumstance can lead to the most unexpected events. Surprise can be positive, negative or even neutral, yet if it were possible to choose of course, most of us would vote for more pleasant surprises. The program deliberately takes that line, with works by Haydn, Schubert, Schumann, Mozart and Mussorgsky for the orchestra and chorus, supplemented by commentary from the opera singer Szilveszter Szélpál.

Featuring:

voice, presenter :Szilveszter Szélpál
MÁV Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Péter Dobszay