Friday, March 19, 2004 20:00
Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium
Egmont Overture, op. 84 ▍Piano Concerto Nº 4 in G major, op. 58
▍Symphony Nº 6 in F major, op. 68 (“Pastoral”)
Piano: Michel Dalberto ▍Conductor: En Shao
Throughout his life, Beethoven experienced turbulent relationships with those closest to him. In contrast with this stands his profound attachment to Nature. He preferred to take long walks in the woods of the Vienna countryside, intending to search for divine and creative inspiration from the beauty of nature. And this was the force that drove Beethoven to compose Symphony Nº 6 (“Pastoral”). The tranquility of this symphony lingers in simple but graceful phrasing. Beethoven had wanted to give a detailed explanation of the symphony, but he wrote on the last score: “All those who know something about country life will experience the author’s intention by themselves so there is no need to add a lot of description”. On December 22nd, 1808, he reminded the audience on the first performance that “feeling is much greater than vision”.