Masterful

The French Revolution saw the fall of the monarchy and the rise of a liberal democracy. The constitution, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, was created. Napolean Bonaparte was appointed leader and First Consul of the French Republic. Beethoven began work on a mighty Eroica (heroic) symphony, dedicated to the man who he believed embodied the new democratic and anti-monarchical ideals.

But power begets power and when Napolean declared himself Emperor of the French, Beethoven was furious. “Now too, he will tread under foot the rights of Man, indulge only his ambition; now he will think himself superior to all men, become a tyrant!” (plus ça change) He scratched out Napoleon's name on the symphony's first page, adding “to celebrate the memory of a great man.”

The concerto, a work for solo performer and orchestra, demands a mastery of technical, analytical, aural and inter-personal skills. Local musician Kaito Deed, winner of the Aujudicator's and People's Awards at the 2023 Prodigies concert, will perform Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, which was initially met with mixed reviews but has since become a favourite among soloists and audiences. With lyric, folk-like melodies, a heroic cadenza, and a lively dance to conclude, this work is spirited and joyous, with bags of character.