Between German Romanticism and Spanish timbres, a multifaceted concert evening unfolds at the Brucknerhaus Linz: David Afkham and the Orquesta Nacional de España combine passionate dances by Turina and de Falla with romantic drama by Richard Strauss and Robert Schumann—crowned by a virtuoso cello part interpreted by Pablo Ferrández.
German Romanticism meets Spanish dance: David Afkham and the Orquesta Nacional de España combine Joaquín Turina'sDanzas fantásticas, which live up to their name, and three dances from Manuel de Falla's balletThe Three-Cornered Hatwith Richard Strauss's tone poemDon Juan and Robert Schumann's Cello Concerto, which he composed in just two weeks in 1850. "I cannot write a concerto for virtuosos, I must think of something else," Schumann resolved while working on the piece.
The result is a composition that could also be described as an orchestral fantasy with obbligato cello: three movements that flow seamlessly into one another impressively demonstrate the composer's ingenuity and mastery of compositional technique, without neglecting the solo instrument. The demanding solo part is performed by Pablo Ferrández, one of the most exciting cellists of our time.
March 2, 2026
